Sacima鲨鳍马工作室

For most of us, one of the first tools we use for drawing pictures (beyond the crayons and finger paint of our early days) is a pencil. Be it a lead based or colored pencil, these analog artist tools are still a big staple among artists and designers alike. As designers many of us keep our handy notebooks and pencils within reach for the beginnings of any new designs or projects that come our way. Today’s inspirational collection may just have you reaching for that notebook and pencils before its done.

In this post you will find numerous stunning examples of pencil drawings that will have your jaws on the floor. Shocked that many of these imaginative pieces were created with colored or lead based pencils alone. Such amazing artistry on display, that we are sure it will delight and inspire all of our readers.

Analog Art

Lady of Spiders by TeSzu

Stone Face by fabaorts

Small Blessings by Cataclysm-X

Please hold my hand tightly by hellobaby

Vengeance of a Bride by lehanan

Decay by MelloLover

Mysterious one behind the shadows by PearlEden

Pearls by witchi1976

The Remnant by shimoda7

Windswept by imaginee

Dark Hope by Zindy

Fangs III, pencil by Panthera11

Jean Harlow Minimal by Ileana-S

Katiebloo by TeSzu

Buho Cornudo by faboarts

Metamorphosis by Cataclysm-X

Hold your hand by hellobaby

Voulez-vous…? by lehanan

Complementary by Loonaki

Feathered eye by witchi1976

Waiting by shimoda7

The Face Of David by imaginee

It went away by Zindy

Cat 3 by tajus

In Solitude… by Ileana-S

Unspoken Words by Snow-Owl

Yuri by KLSADAKO

Wroclaw Ostrow Tumski by TeSzu

Basset hound by faboarts

You May Kiss The Bride by imaginee

Elegancy by Cataclysm-X

My dear. let me show you by hellobaby

Childhood in Minor by lehanan

Mirror of Earth by PearlEden

Braid by witchi1976

Can’t turn back time by shimoda7

Portrait of Dakota by imaginee

Unleash the butterflies by Zindy

Self Portrait with Tools of Trade by Ileana-S

Playful curls – Pencil drawing by Regius

That’s All, Folks

That finishes up the collected works, but it doesn’t have to end there. Now we turn the comment section over to you so you can fill us in on your favorites from the showcase. Do you know of some other pencil drawings that would have made a nice addition to the list? Provide us a link so other readers can check them out.

(rb)

I see more and more devices that have a pixel ratio bigger than 1.5, even 2. My Galaxy Nexus for example has a pixel ratio of 2 and so do the latest versions of the iPhone and iPad. Retina display seems to be the next evolution and next challenge for us as designers.

Native mobile app designers have already learned how to take advantage of those devices with high pixel ratios to display bigger images with better quality, so as to enhance user experience. They are used to creating the images in both normal and retina @2x sizes for the iPhone, and creating 4 sets of drawables in 4 different sizes for Android devices.

With the iPad 3 also having retina display, it is definitively something that will be harder to avoid from now on. In this article, you will see how to use some CSS3 tricks in the field of image replacement to serve images with better quality to those high resolution devices.

Story Behind the Code

It all began when I was creating a jQuery Mobile application for the iPhone. The idea was to make a full HTML5 jQueryMobile app, and to embed it in a “native shell”, using Phonegap.

For this application, I created a bottom tab-bar that was imitating the native iOS tab-bar, and also a header with a logo image in it. Both the header and footer were HTML elements that used image replacement techniques to display the icons and logo.

When I tested the application on the iPhone 4S, I saw that the logo and the icons were highly rasterized and looked pretty ugly.

The Demo

I re-created a fake application page similar to the iOS native style so you can see what is going on. Whether you have a retina device or not, you can test it here with your phone. You can see the demo here. You can also download the code here.

As I said, if you load the page on a non retina device, it will look good. If you load it on a retina device, the images get rasterized.

This is due to the pixel ratio being 2, so the image is multiplied by two and stretched by the device, creating this unclean rendering. Here are some screenshots of the demo on iPad 3, iPhone 4 and Galaxy Nexus with the images being rasterized:

Galaxy Nexus:

iPhone 4:

iPad 3:

CSS Image Replacement Techniques

In this demo, I used different techniques for replacing images that will have varying consequences when we will want to change for retina images.

The first image we replace is in the logo, being sure to only set the height of the element. The HTML looks like this:

<p class="ui-header"> <h1> My logo </h1></p>

The CSS like this:

.ui-header h1{

color:#fff;

display: block;

outline: 0 none !important;

overflow: hidden;

margin:0;

text-align: center;

text-overflow: ellipsis;

white-space: nowrap;

text-indent:-9999px;

background:url(img/logo.png) no-repeat center center;

height:33px;

}

Again, what’s important here is that we give it height, but no width.

The second technique is to use the delete button. We want to keep the text for this one, so we will add the icon in the :before pseudo class. The HTML looks like this :

<p> <a href="#"> Delete item </a> </p>

And the CSS code like this:

.delete:before{

content: " ";

display:block;

width:20px;

height:20px;

position:absolute;

left:6px;

background:url(img/delete.png) no-repeat;

}

Note that in this case, we gave the element both a width and a height but no padding.

The next element to which we want to add an icon is the download button. The HTML looks like this:

<p> <a href="#"> Download </a></p>

And the CSS like this:

.download {

background:rgb(222, 227, 232) url(img/nuage.png) no-repeat 8px 6px;

border:1px solid rgb(199, 206, 212);

padding: 25px 0 25px 120px;

font-size:20px;

color:rgb(144, 160, 176);

text-shadow: 0 1px 1px rgb(239, 242, 245);

}

This is what we will call the third technique: assigning some padding, but no height or width. You will understand why below.

For the footer however, we also assign a width and height for the element, padding too. The HTML:

<a class="bubble button" href="#"> bubble </a>

The CSS:

.ui-footer .button{

background-color:rgba(187, 185, 185, 0.2);

border:1px solid rgb(22, 22, 22);

box-shadow: 0px 1px 2px rgba(22, 22, 22, 0.5) inset ;

text-indent:-9999px;

padding:10px 15px;

width:40px;

height:40px;

background-position: center center;

background-repeat:no-repeat;

margin: 0 5px;

}

.bubble{

background-image:url(img/bubble.png);

}

At this point we have different case scenarios for the image replacement that will load non retina images for all devices, for now.

Media Queries Pixel-Ratio to the Rescue

The next idea was then to find a solution to make those devices load better quality images. I remembered the media query device-pixel-ratio (vendor prefix needed). I never used it before, and decided to give it a try. You will need some vendor prefixes here (Mozilla is the strangest one).

The idea was pretty simple: I decided to try to serve those devices an image that would have twice the size of the desktop one. I chose a @2x notation for the retina image because I’m used to doing so when I create images for native iOS apps. I ended up doing something like this:

@media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2),

only screen and (min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2),

only screen and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2/1),

only screen and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) {

#myelement{

background:url(myicon@2x.png) no-repeat;

}

}

You would think that this works good. True, the retina image is loaded, but the problem is that the image is now twice the size. Still not displaying properly. Here is what it looked like on my Galaxy: the icons are nice and sharp, but not quite right.

Background-Size Property Lends a Hand

Now that we have the high resolution images loading, we need to ensure they are the right size. To do this, we will use the super useful CSS3 background-size property that is actually able to resize backgrounds as needed. You can either use pixel properties for width first then height, use percentages, or set the value to “auto”.

It’s simple to see it in the code. (Note that I used the id #retina for the demo purpose to only target the second part of the demo, but you can of course omit it in your code)

For the header button you remember that we did set the height but not the width, to do the trick here, we will then set the background height to the same value (we can leave the width at auto).

#retina .ui-header h1{

background:url(img/logo@2x.png) no-repeat center center;

-webkit-background-size: auto 33px ;

-moz-background-size: auto 33px ;

background-size: auto 33px ;

}

For the delete button technique it’s a bit easier, since we did set both width and height AND since it has no padding, we can set the value to 100% for each, meaning that the icon will use the whole container space:

#retina .delete:before{

background:url(img/delete@2x.png) no-repeat;

-webkit-background-size: 100%  100% ;

-moz-background-size: 100%  100% ;

background-size: 100%  100% ;

}

For the download button, it gets trickier. Since we did not give it any width or height, we will then have to set the exact sizes of the non retina image for this one:

#retina .download {

background:rgb(222, 227, 232) url(img/nuage@2x.png) no-repeat 8px 6px;

-webkit-background-size: 70px 68px ;

-moz-background-size: 70px 68px ;

background-size: 70px 68px ;

}

For the footer icons, we did set width and height, but the element has some padding. So here we will have to set at least one of the two values to make it work:

#retina .bubble{

background-image:url(img/bubble@2x.png);

}

#retina .loupe{

background-image:url(img/loupe@2x.png);

}

#retina .folder{

background-image:url(img/folder@2x.png);

}

#retina .ui-footer .button{

-webkit-background-size: 40px auto ;

-moz-background-size: 40px auto ;

background-size: 40px auto ;

}

And this is what it now looks like:

What About HTML Images?

I only base this article on the CSS images, but of course there are also images directly in the HTML. For this, you will have to take a look at some responsive image techniques. So far I tested retina.js and have to admit that it’s pretty simple to use, you just have to put a @2x image in the same folder as the normal one and include the script. There is also the Retina Images plugin that seems to do the same job, but needs more server side configuration.

Limitations and Conclusion

As you can see, each case is different and you will have to play with the background-size values to get exactly what you want. The other limitation would be browsers downloading two images for this hack: first the normal, then the retina. I’m not an expert in this particular domain and did not run tests for the demo so if you want to, feel free to do and you can post the results I’m curious to know the browser used and if the images are downloaded twice.

The techniques used in this article are based on a lot of CSS3 code, so might not be supported by all browsers. Also, having to create all the images in two sizes can be hard for maintaining the code, and take more space on the server side. So you will have to think carefully before you use such techniques. Forcing devices to load images twice the size, and then to resize them can also be bandwidth consuming.

In conclusion, I would advise that even though this is a good technique for creating sleek pixel perfect nice interface for devices that support it, there are considerations to be made before using such a technique. Naturally, this won’t be the solution for everyone.

Going further

If you are interested in displaying nice icons without having to create the files twice, you also can take a look at the iconic font technique and at SVG images. There is also this article you can look to, but here again, this is not widely supported.

(Credits for the monochromatic icon set)

(rb)

Editor’s Note – Though Noupe is affiliated with Smashing Magazine, this piece is strictly the opinion of the author.

When I was first contacted with a reviewer’s copy of The Smashing Book #3 I was both excited, and a little bit terrified. I was extremely excited to get a peek at the book before its release, and to get my hands on the content I had eagerly been anticipating since the project was announced. I was a bit terrified because the book’s theme of ‘Redesign the Web’, was not only one I had written on in the past, but after redesigning our own sites not long ago, I was afraid to find out that we had done it all wrong.

All the fears aside, with the first two books as part of our design reading library, I had no doubt that this third tome would live up to its predecessors. And I would not have to get too far into the book to be proven right.

A Smashing Introduction

As I dove right into the book’s first chapter on The Business Side of Redesign, I was inundated with so much practical, applicable advice on how to present a redesign project to clients and how realigning is the much better route. Which was nice to read after the initial fears of finding out we had redesigned our own personal sites incorrectly had surfaced, but as big believers in realignment, the book was somewhat reassuring. This was just an added bonus.

As the chapter went on, I found myself glad that I was reading a digital copy. Had it been an analog version, I would have been running through highlighters by the dozens. Nearly every page presented me with great information too mark and make note of. This trend did not stop at the first chapter’s end either. The entire book proved to be packed of notable advice from the crack crew that Smashing assembled for the team. And every single one of them, brought their ‘A’ game.

If you haven’t seen the breakdown of the authors and reviewers for each chapter, then you really are in for a treat. It reads more like a web design and development dream team than an actual book roster. But when you look at all that went into the book, the budget, time, and the expertise, you begin to understand just how fantastic a book it has the potential to be. And with each chapter I took in, those expectations of the book’s potential were constantly exceeded.

The Chapters

As previously mentioned, the first chapter deals with the business side of the website redesign, which is a really great introduction because it hints that the further chapters beyond it will help complete the picture, and that all aspects of the redesign will be handled. And that is one of the best things about the book. It does such a good job ensuring that you get the whole picture.

Each of Smashing Book #3′s 11 chapters goes through all facets of a redesign, from beginning to end, with a fine tooth comb. No detail is overlooked, and if you get your hands on ‘The Extension’, Smashing Book #3 1/3 you also get a case study of the Smashing Magazine redesign to show all of the thoughtful advice applied in a real world setting; which sounds like a very intriguing companion read. Admittedly, I have not had the chance to check that out yet.

One of the most information packed chapters that I was really surprised by, was chapter 7 ‘Designing for the Future Using Photoshop’ from Marc Edwards and Jon Hicks. The chapter was as unexpected as it was informative, and really grabbed my attention. Not that there were any chapters where the content felt lacking, but this chapter just seemed to really overflow with its detailed dissection of Photoshop. And in a completely accessible way.

Which is actually one of the highlights of the entire book. The accessibility it provides to the subject at hand. Redesigning the web. No matter what element you are tackling, or if you are in charge of the whole thing, all that you need to steer your redesign project towards success is contained in the chapters of this book. And with information geared towards all parties involved, it really should be required reading for anyone working or hiring for a redesign. I can see it being something of a survivor’s guide to future projects. Always within reach.

Chapter 8, Redesigning With Personality from Aarron Walter and Denise Jacobs, contains one of my favorite sections that really challenged me to think of websites in a different way. Products Are People Too did a good job of taking a complex issue, and boiling it down into a very digestible manner. We are often told that we need to build trust through brands and design, and this chapter delivers the goods on cementing that trust by adding in personality. From the chapter’s first line, “Redesigning a website can be the seven-layer taco dip of hell” I was sold. Because I knew that feeling.

The last chapter I will talk about specifically before I move on, was Chapter 10 Workflow Redesigned: A Future Friendly Approach by Stephen Hay and Bryan Rieger, which was another example of challenging me to approach future projects differently. With responsive web design being an important aspect of any web design project these days, this chapter comes in and lays out a plan of attack that I am sure readers will be adopting for themselves. It will certainly at least get people talking about it.

The Fun

Just like Smashing Magazine and the team behind it, Smashing Book #3 is loaded with personality and a lot of charm. From the title of the book being spelled out through the chapters colorfully illustrated drop caps to the playful nature’s of many of the book’s authors, the book is as much fun as one would expect. They have even said that there are hundreds of animals hidden in the book’s illustrations, so that you can go on a bit of a scavenger hunt to see if you can find all 623 of them.

Overall, the journey it takes you on from beginning to end is entertaining, well constructed, highly communicative, and as mentioned challenging. It doesn’t just make you want to be a better designer or developer on your projects, it gives you actual steps to take and ways to accomplish it. And where some books tend more towards theory, with so many talented experts coming to the table to offer real world advice and examples, this book takes the theories and arms you for putting them into practice.

The Conclusion

I thoroughly enjoyed the Smashing Book #3 and would recommend it for anyone in the field or with a site of their own. It gives great insight into where the industry currently stands, and how to take on these often monster projects with a bit more ease and confidence. Are you planning on grabbing a copy, or do you already have one on the way? What entices, or intrigues you the most about this newest Smashing book?

(rb)

In the following Adobe Illustrator tutorial you will learn how to create a semi-realistic lifebuoy graphic. We’ll start with a bunch of concentric circles and some basic vector shape building techniques. Once we create the starting shapes we’ll continue with some Pathfinder options, several Warp and Gaussian Blur effects plus some basic masking techniques.

For the highlights we will use some simple blending techniques along with a set of linear gradients. Finally, we’ll need a simple, dashed stroke, the Rounded Corners effect and some discrete Drop Shadows. The final illustration is easily editable so it won’t be difficult for you to pick different colors for your lifebuoy.

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:

Step 1

Hit Control + N to create a new document. Enter 600 in the width and height box then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the "Align New Objects to Pixel Grid" box is unchecked before your click OK. Now, turn on the Grid (View > Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Next, you’ll need a grid every 5px.

Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subpisions box. You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. All these options will significantly increase your work speed.

Step 2

Pick the Ellipse Tool(L) and create a 255px circle. Fill it with black, lower its opacity to 30% and go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -60px Offset and click OK.

Step 3

Reselect the two concentric circles created in the previous step, open the Pathfinder panel and click on the Minus Front button. Fill the resulting compound path with R=241 G=242 B=242, increase its opacity to 100% and move to the Layers panel. Double click on it, name it "Body" and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F).

Step 4

Pick the Ellipse Tool(L), create a 195px circle and place it as shown in the first image. Select this new circle along with the copy created in the previous step and click on the pide button from the Pathfinder panel. Move to the Layers panel and you will find a new group with three simple shapes. Open it, delete the small circle then ungroup (Shift + Control + G) the remaining two compound paths.

Step 5

Focus on the two compound paths created in the previous step and fill them with the linear gradient shown below.

Step 6

Disable the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid) then go to Edit > Preferences > General and make sure that the Keyboard Increment is set at 1px. Reselect "Body" and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and hit the up arrow three times (to move it 3px up).

Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Select the resulting group of shapes and turn it into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make). Fill it with R=134 G=139 B=145, lower its opacity to 30% and bring it to the front (Shift + Control + ] ).

Step 7

Reselect the second compound path edited in the fifth step (the large one) and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 5px up. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Select the resulting group of shapes and bring it to the front (Shift + Control + ] ).

Open it, select the top shape, fill it with white and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 3px radius and click OK. Keep focusing on this group, select the bottom shape, fill it with R=134 G=139 B=145 and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 5px radius and click OK.

Step 8

Reselect the first compound path edited in the fifth step (the small one) and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 5px up. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Select the resulting group of shapes and bring it to the front (Shift + Control + ] ).

Open it, select the top shape, fill it with R=134 G=139 B=145 and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 5px radius and click OK. Keep focusing on this group, select the bottom shape, fill it with white and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 3px radius and click OK.

Step 9

Reselect "Body" and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 10px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Select the resulting group of shapes and turn it into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make). Fill it with white, lower its opacity to 30% and bring it to front (Shift + Control + ] ).

Step 10

Reselect "Body" and make two new copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 5px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with white, lower its opacity to 70% and bring it to front (Shift + Control + ] ).

Step 11

Select all the shapes created in the last five steps and group them (Control + G). Reselect "Body", make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F) and bring it to the front (Shift + Control + ] ). Fill it with white and open the Transparency panel. Select this white compound path along with the group created in the beginning of the step, open the fly-out menu of the Transparency panel and click on Make Opacity Mask. In the end your masked group should look like in the fourth image.

Step 12

Re-enable the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid), pick the Ellipse Tool(L), create a 195px circle and place it as shown in the first image. Fill it with none but add a 30pt stroke. Set its color at R=150 G=150 B=150 then go to Object > Path > Outline Stroke. Select the resulting path and change its blending mode to Overlay.

Step 13

Reselect "Body" and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the data shown in the left window, click OK then go again to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the data shown in the right window and click OK.

Step 14

Pick the Ellipse Tool(L) and create a 265px circle. Fill it with black, lower its opacity to 30% and place it as shown in the first image. Pick the Rectangle Tool(M) and create a 65 by 75px shape. Fill it with R=255 G=30 B=45, lower its opacity to 30% and place it as shown in the second image.

Step 15

Focus on the red rectangle created in the previous step. Pick the Direct Selection Tool(A), select the bottom, left anchor point and move it 10px to the right then select the bottom, right anchor point and move it 10px to the left. In the end your red shape should look like a trapezoid (image #2). Make sure that it’s still selected and go to Effect > Warp > Bulge. Enter the data shown in the following image, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Select the resulting shape along with the circle created in the previous step and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 16

For this step you’ll need the Round Any Corner script. You can find it here. Save it to your hard drive then return to Illustrator and grab the Direct Selection Tool (A). Focus on the red shape edited in the previous step, select the four anchor points highlighted in the first image and go to File > Scripts > Other Script.

Open the Round Any Corner Script, enter a 5px Radius and click OK. In the end your shape should look like the second image. Reselect it and got Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Finally, select the resulting shape and increase its opacity back to 100%.

Step 17

Select the red shape created in the previous step and go to Object > Transform > Rotate. Enter a 180 degrees angle and click on the Copy button. This will create a vertically flipped copy. Select it, drag it down and place it as shown in the second image. The Snap to Grid should ease your work. Reselect both red shapes and go again to Object > Transform > Rotate. This time enter a 90 degree angle and click on the Copy button. In the end you should have four red shapes placed like in the fourth image.

More on Page Two

This new Adobe Illustrator tutorial isn’t quite finished yet! There is more waiting for you over on page two.

Poster design is a true art form. Often the best posters will be bold, eye catching and visually intense, yet minimal and elegant at the same time. As with logo design, often a great poster will be great for what it omits, as well as what it features.

Really the effectiveness of a poster’s design depends upon it’s purpose. Whilst some posters require a basic typographic treatment, others may suit an elaborate visual design. When designing your own posters always try to bear in mind the poster’s audience, and what you are representing.

Often poster designs will need to be pixel perfect, and very carefully designed as they will be printed at very high resolutions. The smallest details will become more obvious in this medium, so it is important for the designer to take extra care in their process.

Today we have featured a wide range of poster designs, each demonstrating a different style, purpose and agenda. We were also lucky enough to speak with James White, and receive permission to feature his inspired poster designs.

The Poster Designs

James White’s Poster Designs

Whilst this post showcases a variety of artist’s and styles, with James White’s permission to feature his poster designs as part of this article, we had to load up on his works. As James is such an inspiration in the design community, and has become hugely successful, largely due to his unique poster designs, a mini-feature was not out of order.

Alejandro de Antonio’s Minimal Movie Poster Designs

Minimal posters are very trendy, and Alejandro de Antonio has produced an excellent set of minimal movie posters in this vein. He has an uncanny ability to capture the essence of a popular movie and represent it via a simplistic, but elegant illustration.

His designs showcase how strong the brand is behind the movies, as we instantly connect with the represented protagonists.

Grzegorz Domaradzki’s Vector Posters

Polish digital artist Grzegorz Domaradzki produces some awesome vector designs, including a large collection of vector movie poster designs. It’s really interesting to see how he adapts the original visuals of these films into totally original works of art. Each movie poster is super detailed, mixing complex drawings, lighting effects and typography.

Inspiring Poster Designs

Retro Vector Poster by Fabio Sasso

DAM Poster by Project GRAPHICS

Vintage Swissair Travel Poster by Colaja

Reservoir Dogs Minimal Movie Poster by Doaly

Rooney and the Minglers Gig Poster by Doaly

Addictive Stuidios Promo Poster by Addictive Studios

The Joker Typographic Poster by Doaly

Tokyo 2016 Poster by Andreas Leonidou

Poster Design Tutorials

If you’re looking to design your own poster then there are some great tutorials out there to walk you through the process step by step. The following tutorials cover a wide range of techniques and outcomes, which should give you a great foundation in digital poster design:

Dark, Moody Movie Poster

Minimal New Years Poster by Abduzeedo

Abstract Fan Poster by Constantin Potorac

Slick Club Poster

Furious Pink Panther Poster by Alex Beltechi

Dark and Surreal Poster by Constantin Potorac

Poster with Handdrawn Elements by Alex Beltechi

What Do You Think?

I hope that you enjoyed this article. Did you have any favorite designs that stood out to you? Perhaps you know some epic poster designs that weren’t included? Let us know in the comments below.

(rb)

The new Smashing Books have finally arrived—freshly printed, neatly packed and ready to be shipped to you, our dear reader. We believe this is by far the best book we’ve produced so far. We are very proud and excited, and the initial verdict has been thoroughly positive, yet in the end it’s up to you to decide how valuable and useful they really are. Get your books now!

Why the Theme of “Redesign”?

In recent years, the Web has changed—a lot. The Web designer’s tools are now advanced, and browsers are highly capable. Designers have established clever coding and design techniques, and they face new challenges and are embracing new technologies. These changes are fundamental and require us to reconsider how we approach Web design. It’s time to rethink and reinvent: it is time to redesign the Web. The new Smashing books will change the way you design websites for the better.

But are we all prepared for this? How does responsive design fit into your workflow? What UX and mobile techniques do you follow when designing websites? And if you have a redesign project on the horizon, how do you approach it and work your way through it? The books explain what you need to know in order to create effective websites today, and what you need to know to be prepared for the future. Well-known experts share practical know-how and introduce a whole new mindset for progressive, future-proof Web design.

Smashing Book #3 (Printed & eBook)

With over 40 people having worked on the project, a lot of thorough editing and consideration needed to be done to fine-tune each chapter’s content and order to make the most sense. In the end, 11 of the most outstanding articles made it into the Smashing Book #3, covering topics ranging from the business side of design to mobile approaches and responsive design.

The Smashing Book #3 covers innovative coding, design and UX techniques and discusses the peculiarities of the mobile context and emotional design. It also presents practical HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript techniques, as well as a bulletproof workflow for responsive Web design. The book challenges you to think differently about your work, your code and your designs.

Table of Contents

AUTHOR	CHAPTER	DETAILS
Elliot Jay Stocks	Preface
Elliot Jay Stocks introduces the new Smashing Book #3 by making us think about our workflow, the quality of our work, our industry and our community. Working in an industry that evolves at an incredible speed takes a lot of effort—at the same time, it’s what keeps us going.
Paul Boag	The Business Side of Redesign
A redesign is the best thing that a Web designer can experience. Yet before leaping head on into a project, we must consider the business behind the redesign. By its nature, a redesign has the potential to make a website successful, but it also has the power to destroy a perfectly good idea. Important considerations to keep in mind before engaging in a redesign project include common dangers, required research, the working process with the client and testing. Paul Boag leads you through this process step by step. Chapter keywords: business model, redesign timing, scope of redesign, redesign considerations, realignment, project pitfalls.
Rachel Andrew	Selecting a Platform for Redesign
Once you have understood the business side of the redesign project, the next step is to choose the right platform. Understanding all of the requirements of a project will save you valuable time in aligning the new functionality with the technological circumstances. Take stock of existing structures such as the CMS, e-commerce system and payment gateway. Beware of the project constraints, including the budget and wishes of the client. Only then will you be able to concentrate fully on the project, without encountering unpleasant surprises ahead. Chapter keywords: technical requirements, CMS, eCommerce, payment gateway, refactoring, platform choice, redesign project constraints.
Ben Schwarz	Jumping Into HTML5
Ben Schwarz takes away the fear that many Web developers suffer when confronted with a new technology—by encouraging experimentation. The chapter guides you through the new HTML5 elements and discusses the possibilities that come with the adaptation to these elements. This is a practical, compact guide to HTML5, with everything you need to know today in order to create flexible and maintainable websites for the future. Chapter keywords: HTML5, semantics, semantic outlining, ARIA, client-side storage.
Lea Verou, David Storey	Restyle, Recode, Reimagine With CSS3
Some CSS workarounds that have hung around from earlier days prevent us from becoming better, more efficient designers. Learn how to recode CSS to reduce the number of images, HTTP requests, presentational JavaScript and wrapper ps on the page, while making the style more flexible and maintainable. Learn about the rem unit, Flexible Box Layout, source-order independence with flex order, multiple backgrounds and gradients, background clipping, border images, transforms, transitions, box sizing and new CSS3 selectors. Restyle, recode, reimagine: because CSS3 is here to stay! Chapter keywords: CSS3, techniques, Flexbox, multiple backgrounds and gradients, transforms, transitions, box-sizing, selectors, layout.
Christian Heilmann	JavaScript Rediscovered
Even though jQuery is written in JavaScript, it is not the same; nor is it native to browsers. The large jQuery library abstracts away a lot of issues that Web developers face, yet sometimes it’s used without a real purpose. Christian Heilmann takes us back to its origins and shows us how to implement simple JavaScript solutions without resorting to jQuery, achieving the same result in a slimmer and less process-intensive way. Chapter keywords: JavaScript, jQuery, CSS selectors, classlist, localStorage, tutorials.
Dmitry Fadeyev	Techniques for Building Better User Experiences
User experience means good design, and the central aim of design is not to decorate, but to solve problems. Whether that means getting more sign-ups, inviting users to post more content or making the interface easier and faster to use, this is ultimately the sort of design that delivers a great user experience. This chapter features powerful UX techniques that you can easily apply to your products and websites. Make sure users stay on your website for the right reasons, and get an edge over the competition by improving user-targeted processes. Also, explore experimental approaches and avoid some misleading design techniques. Chapter keywords: UX design, forms, good defaults, customer service, copywriting, storytelling, experimental techniques, design pitfalls.
Marc Edwards	Designing for The Future, Using Photoshop
Because good design and user experience are almost mandatory for success today, the lines between desktop software, mobile software and the Web are increasingly blurry. We have to continually change our tools and techniques to meet new requirements. Marc Edwards addresses some of the challenges that Web designers face today and will in the future when using Photoshop. Realism, scale, screen sizes, resolutions, formats, techniques—this chapter touches on all of it. There is no reason to surrender to scaleability and liquid image requirements when using Photoshop! Chapter keywords: Photoshop, screen sizes, pixel density, scale, gradients, shapes, color profile, mobile, Retina display.
Aaron Walter	Redesigning With Personality
Any design that does not effectively establish a connection with its audience has missed its goal. Getting to know your user is just as important as knowing yourself and the personality behind the brand; this will set you apart from competitors. This chapter describes how to develop your own design persona and define the key characteristics to guide your project’s path. New technologies and techniques are not what build connections with users, but rather the empathy evoked by the personality behind them. Aaron Walter explains how to bring out the personality at the heart of your work. Chapter keywords: personality, brand sympathy, engagement methods, design persona, voice and tone.
Aral Balkan	Mobile Considerations in UX Design: Web or Native?
The native vs. Web debate is meaningless and counterproductive. All products nowadays have high demands for UX design. Web designers turn into UX designers by gaining specialized knowledge of the Web and by mastering auxiliary frameworks and their components. Not only do the aesthetics of an interaction object count, but also how the object behaves upon contact. Designing documents and designing applications requires knowledge of basic responsive design principles and progressive enhancement. This chapter helps you understand your medium, explains what exactly it means for an application to be “native,” and goes over how to choose the right tools and technologies for the job. Chapter keywords: mobile, user experience, native applications, native as culture, interaction design principles, responsive Web design.
Stephen Hay	Workflow Redesigned: A Future-Friendly Approach
Web design changes quickly. In multiplatform design, where websites and apps are used on many and varied devices, we are confronted with multiple destinations. How do you go about integrating as many devices as possible? Is targeting as many different platforms as possible really important? In this chapter, Stephen Hay suggest a new design workflow for responsive Web design. A new way of thinking leads to a new way of design—the sooner you get the hang of it, the sooner you will be ready to discover what works best for your projects. Chapter keywords: responsive Web design, device-agnostic approach, content inventory, future-friendly approach, breakpoint graphing, designing in the browser.
Andy Clarke	Becoming Fabulously Flexible
There are significant upsides to responsive Web design for designers, especially in workflows that embrace flexibility. Responsive Web design still asks more questions than it answers, and it challenges the working relationships and interactions between everyone involved in every process. Andy Clarke gives you some insight into the techniques that helped him become fabulously flexible when developing responsive designs. Learn his approach to designing atoms and elements of a design first and see if it works for you. It might enable you to create many facets of the same experience within a single workflow. Chapter keywords: Responsive Web design, design challenges, style tiles, design atmosphere, flexibility, designing components first.

Well-respected professionals have poured their heart and expertise into these contributions. To ensure quality, every chapter of this book has been thoroughly reviewed by experts, including Jon Hicks, Tab Atkins, Paul Irish, Russ Weakley, Josh Clark, Anders M. Andersen, Bryan Rieger, Joshua Porter, Ryan Carson and Elliot Jay Stocks.

Technical Details

• 340 pages, 16.5 × 24.0 cm (6.5 × 9.5 inches).
• Download a free sample (.zip, in PDF, EPUB and Kindle)
• Quality flexibound cover, with stitched binding and a ribbon page marker.
• Delivery from Berlin, Germany, only via air mail (3 to 15 working days).
• $5 worldwide shipping (check worldwide delivery times).
• Also available as an eBook (PDF, EPUB, Kindle).
• Get your Smashing Book #3 today!

Our new books: the Smashing Book 3 and Smashing Book 3⅓—The Extension. Both are available as a print bundle, as eBooks and as a complete print + eBooks Bundle.

Smashing Book #3⅓ — The Extension

With Web design, we can do much more than inform the audience. The power of storytelling and content strategy is in creating engaging, emotional connections that transcend their platform. In this book, we will review emerging navigation design patterns and understand how to employ a content strategy—which is an important process, often underestimated, and dependent on many factors.

Smashing Book 3⅓, otherwise known as “The Extension,” presents practical applications of storytelling to Web design, reviews emerging navigation design patterns and helps you understand how to meaningfully employ content strategy on your websites. A case study of Smashing Magazine’s responsive redesign illustrates how this approach could look like in practice.

Table of Contents

Technical Details

• 160 pages, 14.0 × 21.0 cm (5.5 × 8.3 inches).
• Quality flexibound cover, with stitched binding and a ribbon page marker.
• Delivery from Berlin, Germany, only via air mail (3 to 15 working days).
• $5 worldwide shipping. The book will be shipped separately, starting from 15 May 2012. (Check worldwide delivery times.)
• Also available as an eBook (PDF, EPUB, Kindle).
• Get your Smashing Book #3⅓ alone for $14.95 or as a part of a bundle.

Cover Design by Veerle Pieters

The Smashing Book series has gotten a rather eye-catching facelift. The well-respected Belgian artist Veerle Pieters has taken on the significant task of putting together an innovative, bold cover design. And the result is bold indeed. Veerle’s styling of Smashing Magazine’s “S” reflects the many aspects that make up a Web designer’s workflow today.

An excerpt of Veerle’s final cover design for the Smashing Book #3.

Veerle’s final sketches for the cover of the Smashing Book #3.

Exclusive Artwork by Kate McLelland

If you have the Smashing Book 2, you’ll know that animals play a distinct role—forming almost a tradition for the series. This time, we have asked the talented young illustrator Kate McLelland to illustrate the introductory pages for all of the chapters. Kate has been impressively creative in her designs; the theme of redesign has obviously shaped the tone of her artwork. Each chapter begins with an elaborate drop cap.

A detail of a chapter illustration, designed by Kate McLelland.

Each illustration employs a different metaphor that relates to the accompanying chapter. See what they all are once you get your hands on the book. Appropriately enough, when strung together, the drop caps spell out “Redesign the Web.” The composite style of the illustrations points to how so many components have to come together for a successful redesign.

Reviews and Testimonials

We’re looking forward to honest, objective reviews of the brand new Smashing Books. Please share your photos, opinions and feedback on Twitter using the hashtag #smbook3. The first feedback has been throughout positive and, in fact, we’ve discovered the first reviews of the books as well:

“The entire book is wonderfully balanced between theoretical and practical, with each author contributing a strong point of view on their area of expertise as well as a thorough explanation of how to execute it in a way that is useful. [...] curating the most cutting edge perspectives on the Web and offering the tools and information that the rest of us need to build upon them. If you’re into that, check out this book.”

— Christopher Butler, Book Review: Smashing Book #3

“This book is worth buying and reading for yourself. It really covers many aspects of modern website production in eleven in-depth chapters. There will likely be a few you don’t care for—we all have our own tastes—but I’d be surprised if any genuinely leave you disappointed given the chance. I was quite prepared to write something less positive, the first Smashing Book didn’t excite me, but this one very much did.”

— David Bushell, Smashing Book #3

“The Smashing Book #3 is an invaluable resource for Web designers, regardless of skill level or experience and we highly recommend it.”

— Cameron Chapman, Review: Smashing Book #3

Please feel free to submit a link to your review in the comments to the post and we’ll add your testimonial into this article. Feel free to provide criticism or praise: we’d love to hear your honest opinions!

A quick peek into the Smashing Book #3. Yes, we do like animated GIFs.

The Smashing Anthology

If you haven’t purchased Smashing Books #1 and #2 yet, we’ve prepared a couple of complete bundles for your convenience. Even though the first two books were published a couple of years ago, they remain relevant and valuable, because they were designed by our editorial team to be timeless. Save 20% off the price and get yourself the Smashing Anthology, a collection of all of our books as of today:

• complete Printed Smashing Books Bundle with all printed books for $84.90 (i.e. 20% off the price) or
• complete Digital Smashing Books Bundle with the digital versions of the books for $44.90 (i.e. 15% off the price) .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to buy the new Smashing Book. We welcome all suggestions and advice that could improve Smashing Magazine’s user-friendliness. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the Smashing Books #3 and #3⅓:

Please Spread The Word!

These new books took seven months of production time, from brainstorming to delivery; 43 people worked on the content, design, layout, editing and proofreading of the book; 623 animals are hidden in various places in the Smashing Book #3; and the production costs for initial circulation, excluding marketing costs, required a six-figure budget. That’s what it took us to ensure that our Berlin warehouses are stocked with these new valuable books, waiting to be shipped right away as soon as you place your order.

The authors of the new Smashing books.

Here at Smashing Magazine, we do our best to support and enrich the design community. Yet we also rely heavily on community opinion—in fact, the magazine would not be what it is today without the constant feedback of the community. That’s where you come in: we now pass the book onto you. Use it, enjoy it, test it, read it, rate it, evaluate it, criticize it or praise it—and share your honest opinion of it with the rest of the world.

Feel free to take as many pictures of it as you like and to use the Smashing Book #3 media kit (.zip, 9 Mb), which is full of interesting facts, figures and images related to the book. Be one of the first to give the community a critical view of the book; stir the discussion, and encourage feedback on your website.

Your criticism helps us further improve future projects, shapes the selection of topics and enables us to stay close to the pulse of the community. We sincerely appreciate your support.

(il)

It’s not good for you but every now and then, we all hit the drive thru for something quick and easy. The golden arches are the most recognized brand in the United States, if not the world. When my family moved from Brooklyn to St. Louis, my three-year old son saw the St. Louis arch and yelled, “McDonalds!”

I asked him what we should order and he replied, “a Burger King!”

McStart

The marketing McDonalds did on children’s programming had my two kids brainwashed long before my youngest son could even talk. When a McDonalds commercial came on the TV, it might as well have been Spongebob due to the transfixed state both my kids would enter. In fact, once Happy Meals featured Spongebob, we had to eat there twice a day so the kids could collect each and every piece of brightly colored plastic from China. I often wonder what the Chinese think of the toys they produce for the west. In the morning they package Cello sponges for the kitchen and in the afternoon, sponges that live in a pineapple under the sea.

Say what you will about McDonalds, they are smart, savvy marketers of their poisonous products. Good thing they chose to sell food and not bags of broken glass and sulfuric acid squirt guns! Maybe I shouldn’t give them ideas. Sometimes it just gets a bit too weird.

This image will give me nightmares forever. Now I’ll have to sleep with my hands and feet under the covers so baby Ronald doesn’t bite off my fingers and toes while I sleep! 

I have no idea why or from where but it’ll keep those nightmares coming. Maybe it’s an ad for fresh milk?

Clowning Around With Customer Service

I once had the pleasure of meeting one of the McDonalds Corporation executives who worked in the department that planned counter and drive thru innovation. He was a smart, well-spoken man who had come up through the ranks, as do many corporate executives. One day flipping slabs of meat and the next, ordering around slabs of meat, so to speak.

He was speaking to an audience of creatives and marketing personnel about how his company explores the evolving customer base and solves the challenges. Sure, technology keeps advancing but, just the same, the public grows stupider, too. If you doubt that statement, listen to people order a simple burger next time you are standing in line. It’s like asking Stephen Hawking to solve an immense calculus problem in his head, except he can do it in less than ten minutes. As customers lose their ability to think quickly when ordering a simple meal by a number tied to a large picture of what it represents.

The McGentleman showed video of experiments in both drive-thru creation and in-store ordering situations. In a large warehouse, crisscrossed with white grid lines on a black floor and walls, much like the holodeck of the starship Enterprise, or, if you aren’t a nerd, the game grid in Tron. Cardboard boxes were laid out to simulate a drive-thru space and walls and actual cars were driven in to test traffic flow, service time and the number of fiery crashes that would occur when the herds converge on a restaurant.

Viewing the video, I was struck that the testing was probably more intensive than what NASA had done with the space shuttles. If you think about it, McDonalds was around long before the space shuttle and has outlived it. Chances are there will be Big Macs on the International Space Station long before the United States has another launch vehicle able to dock there.

The cardboard boxes would be moved to form two or three lanes and the flow tests continued until they found the best solution with the least amount of deaths.

Moving inside, the flow at the counter with an eye to the ease of ordering was the challenge. The register used by all fast food places, also known as the POS (Point of Sale), is laid out in a fairly simple fashion. All menu items present and then sub menus to upsize, add items, remove items, figure in discounts for the out-of-date coupons senior citizens scream about having honored and a delete button for when people change their mind two or three times while trying to order from an array of three basic burgers.

Having stood on both sides of the counter at times in my life, I can attest that having a human to regulate the ordering process is essential and will never change. Although McDonalds did try to entertain the notion of POS ordering system a customer could do by themselves, I gather the amount of mistakes made by illiterates having to push buttons with a number from one to ten was just too much and I have yet to see the proposed technological advance put in place.

A clever use of food to advertise McDonalds “Wi-Fry.” Do you want to eat greasy food while typing on your laptop? It don’t come off so easy, folks!

A public service ad to promote how a balanced diet is good for breast-feeding mothers and their babies. I’d like to thank the McDonalds Corporation for not using baby Ronald… or adult Ronald!

I always appreciate when a creative sees something unusual in the usual. The ad for McDonalds coffee balances on the bean resembling a burger, albeit a thousand year-old, mummified burger.

There’s something sadistic about this, and how many customers will think the sandwich is made from goldfish?

She won’t be “lovin’ it” when stalker Ronald grabs her and turns her into burger meat.

I can hardly wait for my next trip to McDonalds to make me fish-eyed for life!

McDonalds is the leader in environmental advertising. Working with engineers, they have created some very impressive advertising.

How cool is this engineered piece? Of course, after noon, you’re stuck with a watch!

I wonder who had the job of scooping the beans out every day, and what they did with them? Maybe there was a reason the coffee was free?

Fries to the heavens! I wonder if the beams blinded any pilots?

Does this need to be watered?

How about this one? Dead fresh carrots kind of negates the message.

A “night only” ad? Personally, I would have opted for something subtle during daylight hours in conjunction with the reflective lettering, which would make a bigger impact on locals who knew the sign.

McBribery is a wonderful thing! Why not use it?

I love this technique. It may take a minute for the viewer to identify the message but that’s more time spent on the brand, which seems under represented in this case.

Again, this may take a moment to get but all the while, you see the brand.

McDonalds is known for generous altruism. In this case, a public service against drunk driving. Besides, the drunks will be McThrowing up in the back of the cab!

McCulture

I’ve traveled all over the United States and odd parts of the world and have been amazed that while each McDonalds, corporately owned or run as a franchise, sticks to the handbook of rules and ethics, yet veers on menu items depending on the local cuisine and population. While in Newark, New Jersey, I was delighted to find they served McBean Pie. I’ve heard of other locations that serve Pizza, McWine (France), McBeer (Germany) and some of the oddest things in Japan and Mexico. The McLobster Roll (viewed by many as a menu item failure), served seasonally in New England, is actually quite tasty and made from real lobster, as opposed to the McRib Sandwich that is pressed mystery meat formed to look like a slab of ribs on the bone but there are no bones. Frightening but evily delish!

The McLobster Roll still sells well in New England as most lobster rolls are nine dollars.

The infamous McRib sandwich that only appears every couple of years for a month and then retreats into history.

Is it more embarrassing to have to wear this hat while taking orders or ordering from someone forced to wear this hat?

McZpacho showed up on menus in Spain. Can such a McDish compete with such a national culinary staple?

McPizza just couldn’t cut it on the market. It was reported to be tasteless, soggy and McAwful.

Some concoctions from Japan. The McDonalds menu selections change often and just get weirder and larger. Wish I lived there!

If you have a “Yen” for a sausage, the Mega Sausage is available in Japan. Unfortunately, it’s a breakfast item, so get up early!

I’m surprised the Japanese aren’t all the size of Sumo wrestlers with menu items like these. I wish they had them in America!

Cheese McKatsu sandwich, a fried pork sandwich stuffed with cheese (although I’ve never had Katsu with cheese). Again, the McDonalds people need to import these to America!

The McEbi Filet-o, a fried shrimp sandwich. In Hong Kong, it’s known as the McShrimp Burger. Here it would be known as, “in my belly!”

Ach der lieber! McBeer in Germany? Can a country famous for brewing for over a thousand years stomach beer from a tap on the soda machine?

McArabia? What internationally inept marketing tool came up with this name? The McArabia is made with grilled chicken or grilled kofta (beef with spices) and comes with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, garlic mayonnaise and is wrapped in an “Arabic style” pita bread. I’m surprised McDonalds didn’t call it “The Aladdin.”

The Chicken McCurry Pan. It starts off with a rectangle dish made out of dough and is topped with a tomato-curry sauce, spiced with thyme, basil, oregano, chicken, bell peppers, and cheese. Why are we stuck with chicken and burgers when things like this are available?

Want to see more McDishes available throughout the world? See more…

McMarketing

McDonalds is widely recognized as being a leader in projecting its brand through marketing and advertising. While McDonalds uses many agencies for co-op advertising, Leo Burnett Worldwide is their biggest agency of record. Burnett, known for innovative advertising, has led McDonalds into the top spot for influential ads.

The first McDonalds TV commercial. Can you spot TV weatherman, Willard Scott, as Ronald? We all have to start somewhere! Hy-uck!

Although several examples of foreign ads were used here, this article has some great foreign ads for McDonalds including a nine-minute mini drama on working at McDonalds. The Japanese “hipster” video will just cause you to freak!

McFail

No matter how much you try and how good your ads are, it’s the public who will decide in the end. These are some failed products “Mickey D’s” (as they tried to brand it for the “urban” customer) just can’t live down.

If you’re going to make a commercial, be ready to have it parodied. Like the iconic Ronald, sometimes even parody, often known as the sincerest form of flattery, can be cruel. But even bad press is, as many ad execs will tell you, good press.

(Did you spot the TV stars in the chorus?) Naturally, this was ad was spoofed.

Again, this ad was parodied many times over.

While there’s no parody for this 1980s commercial starring a young, unknown Jason Alexander, there should be.

It wasn’t so much the burger itself as the idea of keeping the hot elements hot and the cold items cold, it was the styrofoam packaging at a time when people were starting to become more aware of the need for recycling and a greener approaches.

Naturally, there have been menu items that just didn’t sell well, for one reason or another. Let me see them!

McEnd

Certainly there are many iconic brands that have ads, jingles and packaging that people will always remember and cherish as parts of their childhoods and lives. That’s quite a power, especially from a brand that is blamed for major obesity in America. Whether you believe that or not, McDonalds has succeeded at what many tyrants and madmen have tried throughout history and failed – they conquered every part of the globe and are here to stay. All bow down to Emperor Ronald…

15 Facts About McDonalds That Will Blow Your Mind…

What are your thoughts on this iconic branding? How many of these outrageous ads or products have you seen in your area? Use the comment section to fill us in your McXperiences.

(rb)

There are many photographers who aim for vibrant explosions of color in their work. Using these bright hues to connect with and move the viewer. Though there are some who take a different path for reaching their audience, however color still plays a part. They actually process the photos to lower the saturation of color and thereby enhancing the mood and tone of the pictures.

By fading the images in this way, some truly breathtaking and inspiring results can take shape. Which is what we are hoping to accomplish for our readers today. In this showcase of low saturation photography we hope to inspire our readers with the glorious, emotive imagery these talented pros have created. Enjoy!

Faded Glory

Petal Dance by Jean Fran

Vintage book… by aoao2

Boudoir by Ophelias-Overdose

Blossom by EliseEnchanted

Fog by Tamerlana

untitled by oprisco

Disappear by duchesse-2-Guermante

Somewhere Back In Time by oO-Rein-Oo

ld tale: by candymax

Keep my distance by xxchange

Kangaroo by Lady-Tori

Veiledly yours by INeedChemicalX

Softness Time by Rave15

Suicide by NadirSiddiqui

The Offer by nairafee

Wedding day… by Khomenko

Chrystal palace by aoao2

Daze by EliseEnchanted

Between cats by Tamerlana

infinity by oprisco

I have to go by duchesse-2-Guermante

Ballerina Dreams by oO-Rein-Oo

:lost in freedom: by candymax

remember the times by xxchange

Miss Elegance by Lady-Tori

Life in Red by Rave15

Tea Time by nairafee

Hush, but the heart beating by Khomenko

les jours tristes by Pink-Promise

(SP)bRING me to Life. by JoanaSorino

The Long road. by Squirrelondope

its tea time by brenditaworks

Vintage Cupcakes by fiegga

muse by oprisco

Ode to Summer by duchesse-2-Guermante

Absent Mindness by oO-Rein-Oo

Spring Chronicles by nairafee

haiku by Pink-Promise

Selfportrait. 2 by JoanaSorino

macarons by fiegga

What Did You Think?

That concludes the showcase. So now we want to hear from you. What did you think of the photographs that we shared? What was your favorite? Do you know of any other wonderful examples of low saturation photography that we missed? Just drop us a few lines in the comment section and let us know.

(rb)

Using watercolor in web design is not a new thing that designers are implementing, by any means. In fact, it has been used in web design for years. In no small part due to the fact that digital watercolor effects are inspiring and attention-grabbing, and on top of that, easy to achieve. In this collection, we have put together some beautiful examples of watercolor effects in web design for your inspiration.

All of the sites and tutorials have been hand-picked, and demonstrate the allure and beauty that this wonderful effect can add to the web. So, let us take a close look at this collection, and get some inspiring and tempting ideas for web design projects to come. Enjoy!

World of Watercolor

Boompa makes use of appealing and soothing watercolor effects that look astonishingly beautiful and mesmerizing.

Istok Pavlovic‘s website showcases some excellent and visually pleasing watercolor effects not only in the background, but also all over the site.

Chris Sharp uses watercolor effects against a black background, which can be tricky to do and have the effects stand out. But here the balance has been found nicely.

Five Points Interactive uses watercolor effects very decoratively throughout the background and header.

Giancarlo Fajardo, you’ll notice, has some darker tones that blend perfectly with the lighter toned background giving the whole design a very soft look.

Syster has amazing watercolor effects used in the design. And while the header really shines here, the top navigation menus as well as the footer have also been designed quite creatively.

Weberica, while not the most outstanding site design on the list, the large, decorative header makes this design’s use of watercolor effects stand out.

Corvus Art has a very beautiful and visually alluring header design with some exceptional effects that complement the entire site.

Le Bloe‘s designer tried to give a very charming and shimmering look to the design that was accomplished wonderfully with the use of watercolors.

CSS Addict has a very calming and pleasing look, and the watercolor effects used make it even more so.

All for Design, though it is somewhat similar to the design of CSS Addict, it stands apart from it mainly because of the type of watercolor effects used. The big difference is the header.

Football Made in Africa‘s overly imaginative design is full of impressive watercolor effects that add a grungy textured look to the site.

Web Designer Wall is a popular site whose use of watercolor effects really stand out and make the header shine.

Imoments takes an imaginative approach to using watercolors in the web design. The page does not feature any significant content rather just the graphics and astonishing watercolor effects.

Bcandullo
This website’s layout is somewhat busy and full of different kinds of elements. The use of watercolors in the header is quite lively and represents an energetic spirit.

Wccnet contains various beautiful watercolor effects in the footer area, which stands out against rest of the site which is very understated and plain.

Deborah Cavenaugh uses watercolors to great extent, and the effects have been incorporated very well within the design to give it a complete and interesting look.

Davide Savelli‘s website is designed on the concept of minimalism and does not contain too much in the way of graphical elements, which makes the watercolor effects used really pop.

Sunrise Design uses vivid watercolor effects and has successfully pulled it off. The bright green and yellow colors gives the web design a feel of happiness and joy.

Big Cartel‘s use of cool green shades and beautiful illustrations are the main visual draws in this otherwise very simple design.

Small White Bear‘s design brings out a very positive and soothing change in your mood with its soft, comforting watercolor effects.

Efinterns‘s beautiful and gratifying use of watercolor effects works well with this quite unusual, and quite dynamic design.

Pallygiraffe‘s vivid and energetic colors brings the design a feel of liveliness and vigor.

Designer Interviews‘ simple, sophisticated design uses watercolor effects quite minimally, yet they stand apart from the rest of the site.

Billyhughes.oph‘s various shades of blue with beautiful mouse over effects in the header are sufficient enough to grab the attention and make this website a memorable one.

N.design Studio‘s design, uses watercolor effects quite creatively throughout, with big, bold typography and large images.

Xhtml Cafe has a very appealing design with watercolor effects not only in the header, but also in the footer to make it look even more stunning.

Sietedefebrero limits the use of watercolor effects to the header, but the header itself speaks volume about its creation.

Moon Beam Illustrations website stands out, mainly because of the use of excellent watercolor effects. The background textures fully enhance the beauty.

Tutorials

Watercolored Design Studio Blog Layout
In this tutorial you will learn how to make a clean and simple watercolor based layout for a blog. The PSD is available for download.

Creating an Abstract Watercolor Wallpaper
There are plenty of ways to create a watercolor effect in Photoshop. Some are very cheesy and you can easily tell that a simple filter has been used. In this tutorial, we will be using Layer Masking.

Create Cool Watercolor Effects in Photoshop
In this tutorial we will learn how to create cool watercolor effects of your very own in Photoshop to build up your design arsenal.

Create Convincing Watercolor Effects Using Photoshop
This is a short tutorial about creating convincing watercolor effects in Photoshop. We’ll use a picture of a crane, several watercolor brushes and a texture to obtain this particular effect.

Create a Nature Inspired Painted Background in Photoshop
In this tutorial, we will show you some techniques for creating watercolor effect backgrounds.

Super Cool Watercolor Effect in 10 steps in Photoshop
In this tutorial we will learn how to create a quick and easy watercolor effect for your design needs.

Create a Watercolor-Themed Website Design with Photoshop
In this tutorial you will learn how to use the Art History Brush and combine it with watercolor custom brushes to create a nice background header image and more for web design projects.

Easy Watercolor Painting Effect In Photoshop
In this Photoshop tutorial, you learn how to easily make a photo look more like a watercolor painting. This photo effect works best on images where maintaining rich colors and strong contrast is more important than keeping any fine details, since you’ll be losing a lot of detail with this effect.

All for Now

That wraps up the post on our side, now we are turning the discussion over to you. Use the comment section to tell us your thoughts on the collection and to share some of your favorite sites and tutorials that feature watercolor effects.

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When creating websites you have to consider a great deal of aspects such as usability, visual-appeal, the technical side, and last but not least, brand building. Many successful and profitable businesses have been tackled this brand building with user-centric website design. They do this for different reasons, but the one that tends to draw most brands in this direction, is the way it often helps build a relationship with their users.

There are several ways that one can go about building user relationships and trust through web design, and putting a face with the design is one that, when done well, can score a lot of points for you and your brand. To add that personal element to your brand, your website can be one of your brand’s most effective weapons. But it has to be done with care to ensure that it is handled properly.

Below is a list that is filled with great examples of people making their website designs not only visually appealing, but also trustworthy by adding the human touch.

The Human Touch

1. Beyond Commerce recreates a sense of the inpidual approach to every customer using a properly selected slogan and the image of the singing song in your honor.

2. Hitmo studio shows eagerness to fighting on your side and working as a team against the problems. The image also plays the role of visual interpretation of the main slogan.

3. Netbluez provokes good feelings that are usually associated with the image of child-like keenness, honesty and purity of mind. The well treated photo highlights the main message and completes the whole design.

4. Creative People is a great example, where the image not only makes the whole design look fresh and mysterious, but also gets users to believe that this agency works with really talented people, who definitely use unconventional approaches.

5. Forty Seven Media presents people behind the scene with a touch of quaintness. The appearance of the potential performers shine with eagerness and creativity, convincing us of their good intentions.

6. Gavin Castleton‘s site uses a masterful photomanipulation to both pide the website into two functional parts and to inspire confidence by means of showing off the designer’s skills.

7. Digital Hands like with the previous example, the agency bets on creativeness and skillfulness of their workers, using an exceptional image that should convince users that such talented people wont let us down.

8.  Jorge Rigabert‘s whole website design is made with such a scrupulousness and attention to the smallest details that the self-portrait of the executor only adds seriousness to his intentions to do the job perfectly.

9. Chandan Roy Sanyal is not afraid to show his dark side. This unwonted and peculiar image can be regarded as an attempt to be honest with the users.

10. SEOCOM plays with the illustrated names of search engines and social media websites to bring users the idea that they are on familiar terms with web giants, thus making users feel that they are real pros.

11. Griffinabox uses a trick with transparent display to say “Hey, this is the guy who will do all the work for you”, and he is always within reach.

12. Gauged2 shows all their staff by creating offbeat photos and small descriptions. Focusing on making visitors familiar with all the members of the team and making an impression of an honest and open company.

13. Raffaele Leone greets you with open arms and with serenity on his face. Raffaele wants to make his website a welcoming place where you will feel safe and sound.

14. Jeremija Webdesign uses the power of gestures, putting in users minds that he is talking directly to them. Simply establishing the bond between him and the person behind the screen.

15. Thathurtabit uses another powerful psychological tool – facial expression. A great deal of people associate  smile and “hi-five” gesture with goodwill, fairness and eagerness. And  he really does know about it.

16. Michael Wong presents himself as a daring and responsible warrior of website design and development, who will lead you through the web jungles and won’t leave you in any case. Making users believe that with him they will be safe.

17. Quodis calls on your imagination, creating a whimsical slider that instills the idea of full understanding and perfect cooperation among all the members, making their company the place to visit.

18. Volunteer Louisiana incorporates images of its members and of the people who regularly volunteer. Showing appreciation – cause for others to “remove their shields” and be more friendly and thoughtful.

19. Jorge Riera realizes the importance of eye contact between himself and the user behind the screen, adding amiability and geniality with his smile.

20. Soul Media does a good job of using geekiness, instilling the sense of hopeless dedication to you and your project.

21. Bokche builds a brand around himself, integrating the impression of stability, gravity and safety. Making the customers believe that they really can rely on him.

22. Michele Giorgi concentrates on several images, each of which depicts different emotions. The first shows tranquility, the second the artistic side of Michele, and the last one displays a willingness and eagerness to start working.

23. Smultron‘s imagery conveys the sense that “everything is going to be alright”.

Share Your Thoughts

That concludes this side of the showcase, but things are just getting started. What are some of your favorite sites that use the human touch to help make a connection with their users and begin building that trust in their brand? Be they on this list, or not. Leave us your thoughts in the comment section.

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For so many of us who work in the realms of the digital, our creative processes can often come up a bit lacking in the physical, hands-on area. Which is why it can often be so inspiring to take a virtual tour of traditional artists’ works whose processes are often extremely hands-on. These creative constructions possess more than just mere physical presence, they possess the energy of all the pieces that brought them together. Collage is one of those artforms.

Collage artists and their work often exemplify this idea, as their constructs are built from a bevvy of creative materials, at times recycling art or pieces of to use in their works. Which is why we have collected a range of collage art that we are sure will help to ignite the flames of inspiration for our readers.

Creative Construction

Windswept by mistressofspam

TechnoDragon by kimdemulder

Gamer by PixieCold

Lightweight by Timidemerald

The superficial beauty of tech by tzum

stars by the-Px-corporation

Perfect Stranger by wicked-vlad

taxi by igorska

Kotoha-san a La Newspaper by Tsukareru

Masked Creatures by ursulav

Fall in Love by Risata

Remember Happiness? by Er-ca

Hope by nighty

The Lionhearted by weedlace

Fanciful by kimdemulder

oculus by tzum

Different by PixieCold

terror jr. 2 by the-Px-corporation

Glamourous by wicked-vlad

Love Collage by Er-ca

Flying with Butterflies by nighty

internal32 by REDROB10

Pandora Hearts by vampiric-strangel

SWEET LIKE CANDY by krecha

SLEEP CREASES by PancreasSupervisor

Secret Parallel by Versatis

TV Take 1 by VUHwex

Brave Red Boat by weedlace

Rye and Water by Paimonerra

I Want I Need by medusa-terata

New Junk City 2

The morallity of carnivorism by tzum

Mannequin by ursulav

Bird of Paradise by nighty

perish the thought by REDROB10

DIALOGUE by krecha

RADICALLY NEW CONCEPTS 3D by PancreasSupervisor

Ages of the Library by Versatis

Hoisted Yet Clinging by weedlace

Open Here by TheJader

All the Pieces Placed…

Now that you have finished going through the collection we have assembled, we turn the comment section over to you. Did you have any favorites from the list? Do you know of any other collage artists or pieces that inspire you?

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Many artists, whether digital or traditional find much inspiration in music. It often serves as a great mind opener for large amounts of creativity and style to be ushered in. Some artists believe music helps them to see shapes and colors, and often offers up feelings and emotions to help them execute their work more proficiently. Which is why it’s best to try to listen to music that you know will get your mind going.

Sometimes this inspiration becomes the work. Music based design projects can be extremely fun and creative projects. Whether you are dealing with a musical artist or a music studio, the possibilities can really be endless. Music is such a big, ever-evolving entity that sometimes it requires that extra bit of design work to take it to the next level.

Today, we are sharing some of the best, creative and wonderfully designed logos that are musically inspired. We hope the next time you are on a music based design project, these logos help to inspire you to create something great. If not, turn on some even greater music!

Music Inspired Logos

Go Music
It’s easy to want to refer to ‘stop’ and ‘go’ when you have a company named ‘Go Music’, but what the designer did here was extremely clever and well executed.

MyDJSpace
Simplicity is often key when designing a really good and strong logo–sometimes keeping your logo close to home really makes sense. Here, we have two iconic things associated with DJ’s, the vinyl record and headphones.

Zuim
This logo was created for a podcast that dove heavily into music by offerring critiques and holding open discussions with their audience. The emphasis here was obviously on the music, as the staff and notes are extremely important here.

Radio
Another simple, ‘makes sense’ logo concept that really meshes two things you really think about (or see) when you think of radios. This is a very strong, easy to get logo.

Rockit NightClub
The great thing about this logo is it took two completely different topics (rock music and rockets) and seamlessly put them together. At first glance you see an overly decorated guitar, then you see a rocket launch, leaving lots of smoke behind. Very brilliant.

Jazzcuzzi
The reason this logo is so great is because it really captures the essence of what people believe jazz is; calm, smooth and relaxed. The designer chose to represent this by referencing some sort of beautiful horn.

Cafe Melody
Another extremely clever logo design where the designer meshes two different concepts. The idea of the cafe with a coffee and plate is quickly noticed. However, the designer also see’s a volume knob, used to control the melody. One can also see a person with headphones on.

Installer
Though a strong typographic logo, the designer squeezed in a note of musicality. Why not, when the guitar is one of the key things people associate with rock and roll music.

SwanSongs
This is an extremely beautiful logo that uses a treble clef to serve as the beginnings of a swan. With this logo, many would assume the music or services offered here are extremely beautiful, elegant and tender.

Mind Dead
Again, while this logo is typographically strong, the musical reference cannot be missed. The headphones plugged into the word is a really simple yet effective way of saying this group is worth listening to.

Minerva Music Machine
Much like the previous logo design that referenced piano keys, this designer realized the comparison between the ‘m’ and the piano keys. What stands out is how the longer white keys kind of adds that ‘machine’ like repetition to the logo.

Corpse Music
This is another extremely clever logo. The great thing is that the designer recognized the coffin shape looks a lot like the head of a guitar, and used that to great effect.

Crescendo Music Entertainment
The designer here gets props for skillfully turning the company’s initials into a simplified guitar. Nice imaginative flair at play.

Music Delicacy
At first glance you may see a pot with a big spoon in it, but if you happen to look closer, the concoction in the pot is really in the shape of the vinyl record. It really makes you believe you may have a chance to taste the music.

Music Poet
This is a creatively fashioned logo design. The music note serves as the fountain for the pen, properly and easily creating a relationship between ‘music’ and ‘poet.’

Homegrown Music
This logo makes perfect sense, and will be easy to recognize. No need in fancying up a concept that doesn’t need it.

Sun Music
This logo is absolutely beautiful. While it references the shape of a note, it creates this beautiful movement along the stem while the circle seems to represent the ‘sun.’ Really well executed work here.

Sound Bite
A part of making a great logo is knowing whether to focus on a piece of the concept or the whole concept. The designer here chose to focus on the ‘d’ and ‘b’ in this logo, transforming them into a pair of headphones.

Daily Jazz
Not only do you think of smooth sophistication when you think of ‘jazz’ but you almost always think of saxophones. This designer found a way to marry the idea of jazz and paper (writing) to create this logo.

Vinopiano
This is one of those logos where you may see one thing, such as three wine glasses, or you may see another thing, the black and white keys on the piano. This is another clever, simple and well executed design.

Rhythm Magical
Though not exclusively about music, the designer snuck a bit of it in this logo design. Yes, magic and rabbits in hats go hand in hand, but the designer threw in a music note that is concealed as the inside of the rabbits ear. It also could look a bit like the rabbit has on headphones; either way it’s a nice subtle addition.

Campusounds
This logo, again, very simply refers to the music behind this company’s purpose. Campusounds is about hearing the music around different campuses, which is evident by the border which creates a bit of a ’round and round’ movement.

Music Fashion
While the focus on the logo again is typographic, it is overall greatly executed. The typeface used does remind you a bit of ‘fashion’ and the way everything is styled it actually makes you believe in the idea that one can fashion the sound of music.

Rock Stock Festival
When you think of rock and roll, you think of this little ‘devil horn’ sign folks throw up at the concerts. The great thing about this logo is that the fingers seem to double as rock.

Music Books
Here, we have a logo that, again, plays with the piano keys, but this time makes a great comparison between the keys and books on a shelf.

Sounderated
This logo is a bit of a play on words where you can see it saying ‘so underrated’. The logo captures that perfectly by having upside down sound waves.

Plug & Play
More typography play here and just a wonderful idea that makes sense. Everything is connected in some way much like the cords musicians use to plug in and play.

Finishline Studio
This designer chose to play off notes, which is an easy task, but here they completed the look and purpose by making the bar look like that of a finishline.

40
This designer should be commended on their eye, as they created the ’40′ out of shadows, but also completed this look by adding eighth notes to the shadows in places that really make it pop.

Music to My Eyes
This one make take a while to see but the piano keys actually make the longer part of a pencil (thus the triangle at the bottom). It makes sense with regards to writing music.

Mixtape Attack
A mixtape, often associated in previous years with cassette tapes, would be an obvious choice for this logo. However, the designer went a step further by creating a little ‘monster’ out of the cassette tape, adding in the idea of ‘attack.’

Passionato
Another rendition of a note, but the movement and elegance in this execution is extremely…passionate. Really beautiful logo.

Devil’s Music
If there was no name on this logo, we’d all pretty much be able to figure out what it was called ‘Devil’s Music.’ Excellent finished product.

Music Snail
This designer used a treble clef and a double eighth note to help create the look of a snail. This simple yet clever execution is genius and extremely inspiring.

Walking Alone
This simple logo takes the idea of walking on a sidewalk and creates a saxophone out of it. Again, this designers eye should definitely be commended.

Music Gym
Simplicity is really key when you are doing logo design and this is one of the logos that just gets that and still makes perfect sense. The connection is clear, the message is clear and the finished product is excellent.

Shanghai Voices
It’s almost second nature to hear that a musical group wants a logo and to immediately want to fire up something that has musical notes or a treble clef in it. The best way to counter that is to revision it, and that’s exactly what this designer did by adding a silhouette of a famous building in Shanghai. The movement is great here, as well.

Duncan & Noel Acoustic Duet
This logo is a bit more like a graphic, but the execution is pretty awesome. It gives the sense that this duet, would have a nice acoustic guitar and a really folky or down to earth sound, judging by the design.

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In the following Adobe Illustrator tutorial you will learn how to create a semi-realistic oil barrel illustration. First, we’ll use several rectangles along with some professional pixel perfect vector shape building techniques to create the starting shapes. Next, we’ll break some of the starting shapes apart as needed using a bunch of Pathfinder tools.

Once the overall illustration comes together, we’ll use some warp effects to add a three-dimensional look to the oil barrel. Finally, we’ll add a grungy texture using a simple radial gradient, some simple blending techniques and a Sponge effect. The final color used for the oil barrel is easily editable so it won’t be difficult for you to use the colors that you like.

Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:

Step 1

Hit Control + N to create a new document. Enter 600 in the width and height box then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the "Align New Objects to Pixel Grid" box is unchecked before your click OK. Now, turn on the Grid (View > Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Next, you’ll need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subpisions box.

You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. All these options will significantly increase your work speed.

Step 2

Pick the Rectangle Tool(M) and create eight 130 by 225px shapes. Fill it with the linear gradient shown below then make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). The white numbers from the gradient image stand for location percentage.

Step 3

Again, use the Rectangle Tool(M) and create four, 140 by 5px shapes. Fill them with a simple red, and place them as shown in the following image. The Snap to Grid should ease your work. Select all four rectangles and turn them into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make).

Step 4

Select the compound path created in the previous step along with the copy of the rectangle created in the second step, then open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) and click on the Minus Front button. Move to the Layers panel and you will find a group with three simple rectangles. Ungroup them (Shift + Control + G), fill them with white then duplicate them (Control + C > Control + F).

Step 5

Pick the Ellipse Tool(L), create two, 180 by 65px shapes and a 180 by 75px shape. Fill them with a random color and place them as shown in the following image. Again, the Snap to Grid will ease your work.

Step 6

Focus on top shape created in the previous step. Select it along with the copy of the top, white rectangle and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Move to the Layers panel and you will find a group with four new shapes. Select the two, left shapes and lower their opacity to 35% then select the other two shapes and lower their opacity to 15%. Finally, fill them with the linear gradient shown below. The yellow zero from the gradient image stands for opacity percentage.

Step 7

Move to the other two shapes created in the fifth step and repeat the techniques mentioned in the previous step.

Step 8

Disable the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid) then go to Edit > Preferences > General and make sure that the Keyboard Increment is set at 1px. Focus on the top, white rectangle, select it and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px to the left. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=35 G=31 B=32.

Step 9

Reselect the top, white rectangle and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px to the right. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=35 G=31 B=32.

Step 10

Reselect the top, white rectangle and make two new copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 2px to the right. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=78 G=78 B=78.

Step 11

Move down to the other two white rectangles and repeat the techniques mentioned in the last three steps.

Step 12

Focus on the top, white rectangle, select it and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting with black and lower its opacity to 35%.

Step 13

Reselect the top, white rectangle and make two new copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 3px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity to 5%.

Step 14

Reselect the top, white rectangle and make two new copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 5px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity to 5%.

y

Step 15

Reselect the top, white rectangle and make two new copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px up. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity to 15%.

Step 16

Reselect the top, white rectangle and make two new copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 3px up. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity to 5%.

Step 17

Reselect the top, white rectangle and make only one copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Select it and move it 5px down. Select this copy along with the original white shape and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity to 5%.

Step 18

Move to the other two white rectangles and repeat the techniques mentioned in the last six steps.

More to Learn on Page Two

We are just over halfway through the tutorial, but don’t stop here. There is still some more to learn to finish up the oil barrels waiting for you over on page two.

There are often times when we look at the world around us seeking inspiration, and that inspiration takes us into grand explorations of larger than life worlds and themes. And then there are some who take their inspiration and go in a different direction. They work on a much smaller scale. One-twelfth to be somewhat precise.

In this collection of inspiring sculpted miniatures, most of the artists ascribe to a 1/12 ratio of scale for their works to their real-world counterparts. From the deliciously decadent, to the overall intricate and sharp, these colorful sculptures are brilliant sculpted models that are sure to offer a creative kick start. We hope you enjoy their delicate artistry.

Art in Fractions

Nano Pikachu Bottle V.1 by Blackmago

Strawberry Puff Pastry by ChocolateDecadence

1 4 alice set by Snowfern

Itty Bitty Totoro by egyptianruin

Fimo Siren in a bottle_02 by LolleBijoux

Christmas vintage cabinet by MiniatureChef

dim sum by lololollipop

1:12 Scale Hunger Games Feast by fairchildart

Black and White Rainbow Minis by DragonsAndBeasties

Hello Kitty Rice Balls by WaterGleam

The heart of the world by vesssper

Mini Axoltls by Rayaya

Polymer Clay Red Velvet Cake by LittlePurpleCloud

Mini Companion Cube by Bon-AppetEats

Bonsai sculpture by sheharzad

Breakfast: Theirs – Miniature by thinkpastel

Koi Pond FINISHED by BabyHime

How to Train your Dragon by sararoseey

Plants Vs Zombies Sculptures by egyptsand

Rawr Ramen by Zhoira

starbucks charms collection by cutieexplosion

Barn Owl sculpture by AnyaStone

fruit stand 2 by BabyHime

Tea Time by thinkpastel

11th Doctor Sonic Screwdriver by egyptianruin

WOODLAND FAIRY TREE SWING by WEE-OOAK-MINIATURES

Alice in the Wonderland by birdielover

bento by tehKOTAK

Mini Tarrant Hat by ChocolateFrizz89

Polar bear by CuteTanpopo

valentine chocolate 4 by PetiteCreation

Kawaii Rainbow Chibi Clay Charm by FatCatCharms

1-12 tower cakes by Snowfern

Baby Unicorns by DragonsAndBeasties

Miniature Hydrangea Arrangement by Bon-AppetEats

Autumn Harvest by vesssper

1:12 Scale Rainbow Cake by fairchildart

Delicates by MiniatureChef

Petit Cakes by ChocolateDecadence

Mini Clay Cannoli by WaterGleam

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Life tends to move by at a pretty fast pace, this is not a secret to most. However, there are a few who have yet to discover that often times, at night, life moves even faster. When photographers turn their lenses towards the majesty that life has to offer for moments to capture, it is often stunning. When those lenses capture the night-life, the results tend to be purely magical.

Below is a new showcase of a mere slice of that magic. We have collected a sampling of night-life photography that demonstrates more than just the artistry of the photographers featured, but also the speed at which life can move at night. Inspiration awaits…

Night Moves

3943443_orig by Christian Robotti

piccadilly by night by Calliopedoll

cup in the night by saberYUKI

Valencia. 17 by albiita

Boston Foot Patrol In Colorless Times by kukikid

Chicago City Lights by amandameadows

propping up the bar by gunners1967

Neons by CoFFeeZomBee

night life in istanbul by ekimcak21

BL-RR by MARX77

9927830 by Christian Robotti

City Life by Xx-kage-tsuki-xX

Play of (street)lights! by pranav03

Night life by Sientje-sk8ergirl

Times Square by photoman356

Bayonne by night by Abylone

Night Shift by Kecko

Saturday Night by Wadcutter

London Tower Bridge at Night by TheLovingKind89

singapore night lights II by flatline06

1835652 by Christian Robotti

night life by mikroslavo

Night Life by DemensLab

Night Life by livenover

sevilla by night XI by Sambukina

City night life by KenanBeaumont

City night life by Un-Worst

In the Pub by Leitman

. by azncheese

Perth City by syac90

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Developing a website can sometimes be a dry process, but that doesn’t mean the finished site can’t make a splash. As the lead designer at a studio called “The Deep End”, it’s always interesting to see what others have done with the underwater web design theme, and it turns out there are quite a few sites out there. Pay close attention to the different styles that are utilized, as there are many different ways to bring the allure of the sea to the web.

Below is a showcase of beautiful websites that have used the underwater landscape and the creatures who reside there as either a backdrop, or to tell a compelling story. From cartoonish and quirky to stunningly photographic, these aquatic websites have a lot of range. So pe in to this showcase of underwater web design and find the inspiration you are looking for to turn your next web project into something truly deep.

Websites of the Deep

iZenius uses subtle animation, texture and a fun retro aesthetic to bring a stylized ocean to life.

Family of Fish uses beautiful fullscreen photography in multiple layers to create an amazing parallax effect as you scroll down to the ocean floor.

The site for the fictitious Atlantis World’s Fair has the look and feel of a children’s book from the 1960s. Mostly baby blue with several pops of color, it follows the journey from the water’s surface down to the lost city.

Fishy has a quirky and colorful interface that makes great use of pop art illustrations and HTML5 animations to showcase their work.

Goodbye Elliott is a Hawaiian boy band that uses the natural underwater beauty of their home state to gorgeous effect.

Liquid Torch gives the illusion of being underwater through simulated beams of light, as well as splashes of water on and behind the hero image.

Squid Chef‘s coming soon page plays with lighting effects and a colorful, simplistic illustration of their mascot.

Iceberg brings us a somewhat chilled version of the oceanscape. Using gradients and subtle glow effects, Iceberg shows us that there really is more under the surface.

Dedoce utilizes a beautifully textured watercolor-esque illustration as a backdrop, and the result is quite dramatic.

Iutopi is a fantastic example of using parallax to tell a story. As you scroll down from the surface, you encounter many of the creatures which call the ocean home, and they only get stranger the deeper you go.

Ocean’s Discovery uses the requisite ocean blue in the hero photo, but sets it off with a pop of vivid yellow on the navigation bar and to highlight some of the copy.

Tomas Projeta‘s portfolio site has a very atypical and interesting navigation. Rather than starting at the top, it starts in the center of the vertical space, allowing visitors to scroll up to the sky, or down into the sea. The wonderfully detailed illustrations make both directions worth the trip.

We Think suggests a deep sea pe through the clever use of their heroes’ image: Two guys in their pajamas and old-school per helmets. Their header also includes a repeating wave pattern to add to the effect.

Ukranian Design Studio includes many environments in addition to the beautiful coral reef. You can easily navigate toward space, dry land, as well as the center of the earth.

Sendoushi uses a fish as a metaphor for the different stages that stand between a client’s problem and their solution. Now that’s deep.

Deeper is a WordPress theme that combines gorgeous fullscreen photography and some slick jQuery scrolling. It is meant to be used by scuba ping businesses.

OPResume integrates the scenery into almost every aspect of the design, including navigation items and calls to action. So what if they put toucans underwater? This site has a lot of fun with the illustrations and animations, and it all works.

Flotation Web Hosting uses semi-transparent wave graphics and a lifesaver to bring their otter mascot to the top of the page. Subtle texture and cool hues let the bright calls to action really stand out.

Brad Colbow‘s portfolio site has a cool, somewhat grungy illustration of a swing set being swallowed up by the sea as its background.

Thanks to a shot of water out of his blowhole, ReadWhale‘s whale mascot blends in seamlessly with their logo. Ultra simple, in various shades and gradients of blue, this site really conveys an arctic mood.

Visual Harbor puts its employees into the scene as deep sea pers loaded into a mini submersible, before popping out for a quick swim. There is also a really great illustration of their “underwater headquarters.” I doubt they get much work done there, but its cool nonetheless.

Voll‘s site is the second on our list to start in the center of the horizontal space, allowing visitors to either scroll up or down. If you choose the downward path, you will be greeted by brightly colored octopi and a landscape that looks more lunar than aquatic. Snaps for artistic license!

Get Me Fast has a very colorful, cartoony vibe that goes well with their mission of making web development simple.

Discovery Cove‘s main content area serves as a slideshow for images of the underwater activities the park offers, intercut with animated images of brilliant, sparkling underwater light.

The site for Lonely Sock Games’ Coral City App uses fun, colorful underwater illustrations of the game’s central characters, as well as underwater structures. Some retro design elements give the site even more visual interest.

Bluefish Training uses an angelfish silhouette and a ultra clean waterline to give the content a sense of space.

Icebrrg‘s tagline reads: “web forms made chillingly simple.” The same can be said for the website itself. Using only simulated light in cool hues, you get the sense that the water is pretty cold down here.

Feel and Live gets the subtlety award for this list. Their site has a very pale blue background with a faint wave pattern running across the header. The overall effect is very light and refreshing, and it lets the three main accent colors make a more powerful statement.

End of the Line

That finishes off this end of the showcase, but we know that there are plenty of other fish in this sea. So now we turn the post over to you, the reader. Take a moment and leave us your thoughts on the sites collected here, or a particular favorite of yours that wasn’t on the list.

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Sometimes the most appealing products are not those that are priced the most reasonably, but the ones whose packaging goes beyond functionality and crosses over to the artistic. Alberto Alessi said it best when he described his reason for his own aesthetic designs:

“More and more people buy objects for intellectual and spiritual nourishment. People do not buy my coffee makers, kettles and lemon squeezers because they need to make coffee, to boil water, or to squeeze lemons, but for other reasons.”

Some of the most aestheically pleasing packages and products rely heavily on excellent typography. At times, the perfect font is all that is needed to take a design beyond the ordinary, and very often a great font can stand alone with no other graphics or design gimmicks added to it.

The following collection of products and packages all have one design element in common: they all boast the use of fantastic typography. Take a look at some of the methods and reasoning behind these designer’s packaging projects and let each one inspire you to excellence in your own product and packaging designs.

Bzzz (Custom Font)

This packaging for Natural Armenian Honey not only includes a box shaped like a honeycomb, but the custom-made font for the title stunningly combines the flight of bees and a honey dipper. Bzzz packaging was designed by Backbone Creative, a design company from Armenia.

Indian Stretchable Time, the “Ish Watch”

Designed by Hyphen Brands from India, this packaging for the “Ish Watch” was designed with the Indian culture’s view of time. In India, when someone says to arrive at 3:00pm, they expect the arrival at any time after 3:00, hence “3-ish.” The typography includes several different Italic font versions. In another humorous twist, the three hour marks are listed as “12-ish”, “3-ish”, and so on with no other numbers included.

Acushla Organic Olive Oil

The custom-made font used for the title of this olive oil package at the same time matches and contrasts the logo graphic. Like the graphic, the letters have an organic flow to them, which fits nicely with an organic brand. The green color of the font is reminiscent of green vines as well. Yet unlike the graphic which flows together seamlessly, the tags and flags of the letters point in different directions, almost like wild branches of vines that someone attempted somewhat unsuccessfully to prune into perfection.

Parish Brewing Co.

The idea behind this captivating package design by Cargo Collective was to capture the southern feel of the Louisiana start-up brand. The custom font gives the bottles an authentic vintage look and feel. Notice how the text on the box and labels appears partially faded, imitating painted letters on a weathered wooden sign.

Proof – Scotch complimentary kit

This label for the complimentary kit of the scotch tasting app were each hand-stamped (both the label and the app were designed by Zeus Jones). The fonts are a blend of the custom designed Proof typography as well as a script logo taken from the Zeus Jones cycling jerseys. The % on the lids were created by hand-dipping each one in wax and stamping the wax using the stamp from the Proof typography.

Adams & Harlow

Designers Anonymous created the identity, website, and packaging for the Adams & Harlow brand of pork pies. Adams and Harlow is owned by two sisters and they named the company in keeping with the rivalry between their grandfathers’ pork pie companies in the early 1900s. The typography is based on a sans-serif font from the 1900s with some unique touches added in. For instance, the designers created the “S” to look like a butcher’s hook.

The Cloud Factory

This whimsical wine label designed by Alastair Duckworth and Ross Hamilton, both of Biles Inc., needed to stand out on shelves while also representing the unique story of this New Zealand brand. To create a look that reflected the “land of the long white cloud,” the designers created a hand-rendered typography with cleverly original lettering. The “T”, “C”, and “F” have a very old-fashioned feel to them, and almost remind one of the typography from the posters for the World’s Fair events in the early 1900s.

Selva Pasta

Kayhan Baspinar created an entire font design specifically for this brand. The lettering is both sophisticated and indicative of the shape of pasta at the same time. The extended lines of the letters and the dramatic shape of the upper curves of a few of the letters, such as the “C” and lowercase “m” and “n” are just a few of the unique touches that make this font stand out.

The Manual Co.

If you peruse the popular package design submission sites, then you may remember this one from the past. Created by Peter Gregson, this packaging for boots, bags, and other accessories has custom white hand-lettering set on a black background. The unique typography looks a bit like artistic chalk typography on a chalkboard and really gives it a high-end, artistic look and feel.

Jacques Prevert, CHOSES ET AUTRES

This beautiful font was created specifically for the cover of Jacques Prevert’s book, CHOSES ET AUTRES. Marijana Zaric did an excellent job of designing this typeface full of bold lettering and rounded edges. The hand-colored look gives it even more depth and character.

Fizzy Lizzy

The custom font designed for these fruit flavored carbonated beverages looks “fizzy” and fun, and leaps off of the label. The bubbles rising from the two “i”s in the logo and the evaporating lettering makes it appear as if the text is floating underwater.

Melt

This custom designed font seems like a cross between the Ark Doomsday Light font and the Priori Sans OT Regular font. The best part of this font design? Along with the dripping chocolate graphics , it looks delicious enough to make anyone crave chocolate, even if chocolate isn’t your forte.

Askul Garbage Bag

An amazingly creative design for such a common household item, this garbage bag packaging was designed by Stockholm Design Lab. The letters falling into a “trash pile” at the bottom of the box are all from the good ole’ font family Helvetica.

Peter Wetzer Wines

Wetzer commissioned designer Laszlo Mihaly Naske to create a calligraphic label for his wine collection, in keeping with a “homemade” theme. Naske explains that his original idea was to go with a more bold approach in the design of the hand-crafted letters, but Wetzer wanted something more simple, traditional, and straightforward. The winemaker chose well – the handwritten font is quite stunning alone and may have been overlooked if too much more was included in the design.

Billington’s Sugar

This redesign by jkr of Billington’s sugar packaging adds much more personality than the previous design. The colorful font graphic front and center capture attention quickly, and the faded font used for the company name adds to the traditional look and feel, an element of the design that was very important to the client. The main font used looks similar to Bebas Neae or a popular Gothic font family.

Fyne Ale

Look closely and you’ll see that Good Creative designed the headlines/titles of the different types of ales each with a different font that matches the name. The Maverick font includes only flags and tags on certain letters – the “A”, “R”, and “K”. In contrast, the Piper’s Gold font is very fancy with a decidedly western look and feel.

IQ

Another great design by Good Creative, this redesign for IQ, a hair product brand, is quite staggering when you see the before and after pictures together. The idea from the brand letters came from strands of hair, especially on the hook of the “Q”.

Before

After

Backyard

This illustrated font was created by Fabien Barral, a phenomenal illustrator and graphic designer. The shape of the font looks similar to Helvetica or another type of simple sans serif font, which gave Barral lots of room for creativity within the illustrations themselves.

Nagging Doubt

Designed by Brand Ever with the label illustrated by Dana Tanamachi, this wine brand was started by a corporate man with a long-time dream he never could ignore, hence the name Nagging Doubt. Tanamachi drew the entire label by hand on a chalkboard, in a font style similar to grape vines for the Voigner label. The Pull label still resembles branches a bit with the “pulled” lines of the letters “N” and “G” but is much more crisp and clean of a font. Each label comes with a QR code that leads to the Nagging Doubt website on which visiters can view a stop motion film of Tanamachi’s illustration process.

Stave and Hoop

Force & Form created the labels for this brand of strong wines, keeping in mind that this wine is intended to be a gentleman’s alternative to whiskey or beer. The typography layout and fonts look similar to the labels found on tonics from the days of the wild west.

Typocolate

This simply delicious typographical project was created by Dynamo to use as Christmas gifts for clients, friends, and family. Each chocolate bar is engraved with a different daily mantra written with a completely original font design. Decorative font styles grace the face of most of the bars, but one also includes a light sans serif font design.

Princess Bride Custom Wine for Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Every year, the Helms Workshop creates a new design for the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema’s wine collection, always with a certain movie in mind. This year, they chose The Princess Bride in honor of the film’s 25th anniversary. The brand name is Bottle of Wits done appropriately in a bold sans serif font. On the side of the box packaging are phrases from the movie on which various font styles (all sans serif) are combined with graphics to illustrate the term. In this design, a more plain font was certainly the better choice as it allowed for more creativity with graphics, font layout, and other stylistic features that illustrate favorites from the film.

Angioletta

This simple yet elegant design for a sweet, white wine from Wein-Bauer, Inc was created by Kaleidoscope. Obviously, the target audience is younger women, and the font certainly portrays this focus. The light, script font similar to a Vivaldi or Edwardian Style Script typeface is airy, flowing, and feminine.

Sepp Moser

Each one of these quite original wine labels were created by Hans Renzler along with Brace.at on an actual typewriter. Each wine bottle number is handwritten by the winemaker himself, giving these wine bottles a very “collector’s item” sense.

Artisan

The typography on these wine bottles created by Public Creative look like the font stamps from an old letterpress printing press. The title of the wine is in silver while the rest of the letters are charcoal black, which makes the title stand out but also gives the “stamps” for the title a never-been-used appearance.

Tucumen

This Argentinian wine from Budeguer was designed by Guillo Milia. The designers tried to keep the wide variety of cultures in mind in this design, blending a variation of bright colors and font styles to give this impression. The main heading font style is similar to a calligraphic font such as Zocalo. In fact, various script fonts are used but so is a plain serif font, along with a very stylized, medieval-like font used for the brand name.

Cuboid

The font style of the brand name fits perfectly for this boxed wine aimed at millenials and designed by Force & Form. The packages have a video game look with the 8-bit characters, limited colors, cubed font, and tagline “Surrender your corkscrew.” One side of the box invites interaction with a list on which customers can write their favorite wines, done with a mixture of a clean sans serif font and a script font to emphasize a single word in each line of text.

All For Now

But that doesn’t mean that the discussion is done. Quite the opposite, it is just getting started. Now it is your turn. What were some of your favorites from the showcase? Do you know any other products and packages that have that fantastic typography touch? Take a moment and tell us about them in the comment section.

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As we search for inspiration, looking beyond our own fields and into other artistic arenas is quite commonplace, no matter how far from common the expressive works we find in these places may be. Which is the case today. Today we take a look at some work of an exceptional group of makeup artists who have really taken their artform to exciting and inspirational new heights.

Each of the makeup artists we are featuring in this collection have focused on eye makeup in particular, painting such impressive, detailed designs on such small dermal canvases. Even with such a fine focus, still each of their works rings with unique and clever styles that give the collection an interesting range and broad appeal.

An Eye for Detail

Katie Alves

KatieAlves has a playful style, that is as impressive as it is whimsical. She creates and recreates landscapes and other scenes, along with drawing other objects that give her eyelids character.

Carnival Sunset Eyes

Hot Air Balloon Eyes

Harry Potter Eyes

Lion King Eyes

Nightmare Before Christmas Eyes

Alice in Wonderland Eyes

Fairy Eyes

Halloween Eyes 3

Bee Creative

Super Mario Eyes

Pirates of the Caribbean Eyes

The Wizard of Oz Eyes

City Eyes

Misty-Angel

Misty-Angel‘s work goes in a different artistic direction that is both breathtaking and graceful. With a layered background of color placed, she then draws amazing accompanying imagery on top of or alongside the stunning base she has laid.

Valentine’s Day

Rose

Butterfly

Silver and Flower

Elf_2

Peafowl

Ice Dragon

Flower Elf

Green Butterfly

Peafowl’s Eye

mrralphie

mrralphie (a.k.a. Rachel Clarke) takes the collection back to a slightly more traditional area, with just enough flair and attitude to give rise to some truly exceptional and expressive pieces. Homages and originality abound throughout her impressive portfolio.

wildfire

Slytherin.

lovely smoke.

Nice shooting sweetheart!

golden illusion.

a day at the beach.

KAPOW!!

cool, calm and dangerous.

golden temptress.

royal blue

hedwyg23

And last in our showcase, but certainly not least, is hedwyg23, or just Hedwyg for short, whose fascinating, layered works take a powerful turn from the traditional, and are infused with a potent creative edge that has no need to beg for attention or adoration. It garners both without effort.

The Hunger Games: Girl On Fire

Smokey Red

Request 5. Twilight Sparkle

Request 6.

Request 3. Winter Contrast

Galaxy Eyes

Flowerfield

House Stark make up

Dragon fruit

Wild Tiger

Commission: Darkling

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Originally a fork of Mambo, Joomla has grown into the second most popular Content Management System (CMS) on the web behind WordPress. In January 2012 Joomla was upgraded from 1.7 to version 2.5. It brought a lot of great new features such as notifications for easier updates, multi database support and improved search functionality.

Today we would like to show you a collection of 30 beautiful Joomla templates that showcase what this powerful and popular script can do.

The Collection

1. Momentum
Regular License: $50

A stylish template that comes with 6 preset styles, 78 module positions and 58 module variations. It also includes a colour chooser and a background slideshow option. The drop down navigation menu at the top of the page looks beautiful and it includes a lot of pre defined typography settings build in (most of which can be used using shortcodes).

Info & Download | Demo

2. Ionosphere
Regular License: $50

Ionosphere is a versatile template that comes with 12 colour schemes. It has a whopping 84 module positions and support for viewing on iPhones and Android devices. RocketTheme exclusives such as the Fusion Menu and RokSprocket extension for styling are also included.

Info & Download | Demo

3. Modulus
Regular License: $50

Another versatile theme from RocketTheme that comes with a colour chooser, 12 colour schemes and 68 module positions to choose from. 16 unique RocketTheme extensions are also included such as the comment extension RokComments, content rotator RokNewsFlash and Twitter module RokTwittie.

Info & Download | Demo

4. MissionControl
FREE

A free admin template that was developed for Joomla 2.5 to make administrating a Joomla website more user friendly. It’s fast loading and has features such as custom logo uploading, user statistics and an editor switcher.

Info & Download

5. Pixellove
Personal License: €40, Business License: €65, Lifetime License: €99, Developer License: €199,

A beautiful dark blog template that has portfolio options for showcasing your work. A light version of the theme is also included and support for 3rd party extensions such as the K2 component and News Show Pro.

Info & Download | Demo

6. Game Magazine
Personal License: €40, Business License: €65, Lifetime License: €99, Developer License: €199,

Designed for multimedia topics like gaming, movies and music. Game Magazine has a great looking home page slider that can show featured, recent and popular posts. It works with a lot of 3rd party extensions and has beautiful typography as well.

Info & Download | Demo

7. League News
Personal License: €40, Business License: €65, Lifetime License: €99, Developer License: €199,

A professional looking news portal that was created for sports websites. Developed using HTML5 and the latest Gavern Framework, League News is arguably the best magazine style design available for Joomla at the moment. It includes a news rotator, support for many popular extensions and great social media integration.

Info & Download | Demo

8. Kallos
Regular License: $33

A business style Joomla template that can display content in 1, 2 or 3 columns. There are 17 module positions and 16 advertising positions to choose from and it comes with 5 colour schemes. Fixed and fluid layouts can be used and a layered Photoshop PSD file is included with the template too.

Info & Download | Demo

9. Mad Chicken
Regular License: $33

Designed for fast food businesses, Mad Chicken is a simple design that was setup to promote your menu. It comes with two colour schemes: red, orange and yellow and red, green and light brown. Powered by the Gantry Framework, the same framework that is used to power all RocketTheme designs, it includes a colour picker for choosing theme colours and has support for the iPhone and Android devices.

Info & Download | Demo

10. Slate
Regular License: $35

A corporate design that comes with 5 pre-defined colour schemes. The home page features a great looking featured slider and content can be displayed using portfolio, gallery and blog templates. It works with JoomShopping Cart so it can be used to build an online store too.

Info & Download | Demo

11. JTAG TV
Regular License: $40

JTAG TV was designed specifically for movie, video and TV websites and blogs. It works with most video services such as YouTube and Vimeo and includes the latest clips video slider.

Info & Download | Demo

12. N6
Regular License: $57

A one page template design that comes with 12 colour schemes and a fixed or fluid layout. Designed using the Wright Framework, Transitions between different sections are smooth and the typography used in the design is beautiful.

Info & Download | Demo

13. Joy
Regular License: $57

A versatile Joomla template that comes with 6 colour schemes. The design is clean and professional looking with box images used throughout the design to promote pages and posts.

Info & Download | Demo

14. Collective
Regular License: $53

A business design that uses a 960 grid layout. There are 12 module positions to choose from and you can use 1, 2 or 3 column layouts to display your content. 10 colour schemes are included though only the header and link colours are different in each skin.

Info & Download | Demo

15. Orion
Regular License: $47

A professional corporate style that has a great featured post slider on the home page and 14 module positions. 4 colour schemes are included and it has a cool drop down navigation menu at the top of each page.

Info & Download | Demo

16. Bensroben
Regular License: $45

A beautiful clean responsive Joomla template that changes the number of posts displayed depending on width of the browser being used. The transition from 2 to 3 to 4 columns is smooth and when a visitor hovers over a post the other post images on the page fade to highlight the post being selected. 8 colour schemes are included as well as a slideshow module and portfolio template.

Info & Download | Demo

17. Meltas
Regular License: $40

A clean minimal Joomla template that is suitable for business, blogs and portfolio websites. The home page features a large featured slider that has 27 animation styles. 7 colour schemes are available and there is a built in testimonial template too.

Info & Download | Demo

18. QT
Regular License: $35

A feature rich Gantry Framework powered design that has 11 different types of home page sliders and 65 module positions to choose from. Google web fonts are supported and there are 4 colour schemes included with the template. Alternatively, theme colours can be changed using the colour chooser.

Info & Download | Demo

19. Asareng
Regular License: $40

An elegant template that comes with a number of different dark and light skins (16 variations in total). 4 different home page layouts are included together with a testimonials template. A good choice for a business website, blog or portfolio.

Info & Download | Demo

20. Supremacy
Regular License: $35

A creative corporate design that comes with 50 colour variations. The colour variations are quite small though with the dark colour scheme retained at the top of the design and the content area changing colours. There are 11 different versions of the slide that is displayed on the home page (on an iMac no less!) and one or two sidebars can be used on content pages.

Info & Download | Demo

21. James
Regular License: $30

A simple yet stylish personal Joomla template that was created for resumes and simple information websites. Despite the simplicity of the template, it offers 67 different module positions and 36 different layout combinations.

Info & Download | Demo

22. JF Chrome
Regular License: $35

JF Chrome is a flexible Joomla template that could be used for businesses, blogs, portfolios and communities. There are two different versions of the beautiful home page slider available, 4 colour variations and 4 menu options. It supports Google fonts too and comes with 40 module positions, a pricing table and custom error pages.

Info & Download | Demo

23. Technik
Regular License: $40

A futuristic technology template for Joomla that has a gorgeous Javascript based slider on the home page. It comes with 5 colour variations with light and dark backgrounds, 28 module positions and lots of short codes for styling content. A good choice for a business website or tech magazine.

Info & Download | Demo

24. Superb
Regular License: $40

Superb is a creative Joomla template that comes with 16 colour schemes (8 variations of light and dark). It comes with a beautiful blog template, a 1, 2 or 3 column portfolio template and a 2, 3 or 4 column gallery template. 3 different home page layouts can also be chosen with each layout showing a different sized feature slider.

Info & Download | Demo

25. Ammon
Regular License: $40

A clean professional looking template that could be used for any kind of website. One of the themes biggest selling points is its 12 different sliders. These allow you to use rotating image backgrounds, a nivo slider or even a video background.

The theme has 70 different module positions and numerous page templates including a blog template, portfolio template, photo gallery and FAQ template. Google fonts are supported as well and there are lots of shortcodes for styling content. You need to check out the theme demo to appreciate the quality of this template.

Info & Download | Demo

26. BlackStudios
Regular License: $40

BlackStudios is a dark and clean corporate design that comes with 5 colour variations. It has support for Google fonts, looks great on mobile devices and there are over 60 module positions to choose from.

Info & Download | Demo

27. Aeon
Regular License: $45

A futuristic design that uses an impressive slider on the home page and a smooth drop down navigation menu at the top of the page. It has support for Facebook comments and has great typography for styling your content.

Info & Download | Demo

28. AMOS
Regular License: $40

AMOS is a versatile design that lets you use a one page scrolling template for the home page or a regular home page that links to sections as different pages. It includes 7 different sliders, 60 different module positions, 2 different portfolio layouts and lots of unique templates and shortcodes for styling content.

Info & Download | Demo

29. Sunrise
Regular License: $40

A clean business template that features a nivo slider on the home page. It comes with a light and dark skin though colours can be customised how you want using the theme style editor. Portfolio, gallery and blog templates are also included with the template.

Info & Download | Demo

30. Depeche
Regular License: €25

Named after the British band Depeche Mode, Depeche is a grungy design that is perfect for blogs. It includes a regular slider, full page slider and article slider and the tableless design allows modules to be collapsed.

Info & Download | Demo

That’s a Wrap

We hope you have enjoyed this list of professional Joomla templates. As always, if your favourite design didn’t make the list, please feel free to share it in the comment section.

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What makes a great photograph? Many believe it’s not just the subject of your picture, but even the composition and the style in which you decide to take your picture. Photography, like many arts, is fairly objective–you may find a picture that you love that your best friend absolutely hates. One certain thing about photography, however, is that the technologies and the styling trends are forever changing.

If you have a mobile phone, especially a smartphone, you probably have taken a picture or two. As technology progresses, the features associated with mobile phone pictures greatly increases. With the help of apps like Instagram, Pudding Camera, and others, you’re able to bring a completely new life to your pictures taken on your phone’s camera. This is often referred to as the art of Phoneography (iPhoneography, Droidography, etc.).

Today, we have put together a nice little round-up of some spectacular examples of phoneography being shared around the web. Get familiar with the camera on your phone and start taking fantastic pictures!

Fabulous Phoneography

Jewellery Box by DistortedSmile

Apoca by arvela

Benevolent kidney beans from the future by doctor-a

Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City by spooneb

Caught by elizabethunseelie

Coming down by Ray-K

Day 9 by zootnik

Dreams in the Bones by elizabethunseelie

Droiding the ‘Lude 10 by P. Lachaine

Eyes Like Daggers by Sinéad McKeown

Fan Blades by curtfleenor

iPhone – Gropptorp 1 by alexanderlindelof

Hogmany Spark by elizabethunseelie

In a Cloud Sandwich by Sinéad McKeown

Iphonegraphy by MTHH

Rock Bottom by Gerald-Bostock

Isla Canela, Spain by ChihiroArt

Istanbul 2011 by Alharith

Marie Antoinette’s Hideaway by elizabethunseelie

Moment future by arvela

Multiplying by 2zl

Netted by elizabethunseelie

Putting Down Roots by Droidography

Rufus by texasguitarslinger

Snow no05 by dawgama

Spring Snow by Kotryyyna

Spring is Here by contradictionofsorts

Stopped for the Sun by ActiveSlacker

Storm Over Kansas City by spooneb

Suburban Scape by Nakeva

Sunset at Lakewood by spooneb

Sunset v1, South Shore Harbor Bridg by Nakeva

T2 Ladder by xliredbaron02

The Cheetah Next to Me by mb-neo

Thunderous Waves by september28

Times-A-Ticking by XxMoonlit-UchihaxX

Tiny Teen in the Light by Felipa-de-Noailles

Transmission Failure by Sinéad McKeown

Untitled by Hugo Quintero

Winter Wonderland by Xenabaiche

zoonaar by orgildinho

Iphonegraphy by MTHH

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As smartphones have advanced, and the display and photo capture technologies have improved, many have desired the ability to design and to edit images on their mobile phones. In fact, today hundreds of design applications exist on Google Play (previously known as Android Market). So in order to help you sift through the noise to find the ideal one for your needs, we decided to take a look at our top twenty designer apps for Android.

1. Adobe Photoshop Express

Photoshop express is an application based around the hugely successful computer program of the same name, but now adapted to mobile phone use. Though the app doesn’t have all the functions available on the PC version, it remains extremely popular for a wide range of photo editing functions.

2. WordPress Mobile

WordPress Mobile is a simplified version of the popular website blog managing software, which enables users to update, edit and create new websites straight from their smartphones. Ideal for any person who requires round the clock updates for their websites.

3. Color Dictionary

This useful application enables users to search and discover a variety of colors that can then be used in different design purposes. The Color Dictionary app can identify a color, or allow the user to select a color on a slider, and it will then apply a name to that color. Handy for all sorts of uses, whether choosing a website background or what color paint to buy for decorating your house!

4. ColorSnap

Similar to the Color Dictionary app, ColorSnap can capture colors from photos taken by your Android phone’s camera or pics from your library and identify them by matching to Sherwin-Williams‘ paint colors. The app is optimized for MDPI and HDPI phones and has never been tested on LDPI devices. It’s said to work well on old devices like the HTC Droid Incredible or the LG Ally, however, according to users’ reports, it doesn’t work well on Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus.

5. Color Mood Designer

In case you don’t like Color Dictionary and ColorSnap, Color Mood Designer is another app you can use to find the right color combination for your design project.

6. Finger Colors

The title of this app can make you think it’s another color-choosing app, but no, it’s actually used for painting and drawing with a user-friendly interface that won’t distract or interrupt you. The Finger Colors app enables you to set the width, transparency and color of your strokes, so you can draw or paint almost anything you want, including oil and watercolor paintings (well, digital ones).

7. Autodesk SketchBook Express

Similar to the previous apps, Autodesk SketchBook Express is a painting and drawing application with a huge range of useful tools. It works on smartphones that support multi-touch and run Android 2.1 or above; a powerful processor with a good amount of RAM will make the app run faster, but you can use it on mid-range devices like the Samsung Galaxy Ace, too.

8. Fotolab

Fotolab is an application that specializes in enabling users to alter the effects and colors of an already taken photo. Selective color draining, blurring and effect creating are all available, plus more. The app is easy to use, and even allows the user to set an initial effect and then add patches for alternative effects with just the press of a finger.

9. Photo Effects

Photo Effects provides the ability to apply numerous effects to your photos. Whether it be thermal, fisheye, hazed or pixelated, this application can provide the edit that you require. Normal edits can be made to improve photos, or they can be made entirely wacky! Easy to use and control.

10. Reduce Photo Size

Reduce Photo Size does exactly what it says on the tin. It can be used for editing image sizes, but its main use is to compress the actual file size. Many find that storing multiple images on their phone can deplete their memory rapidly, and so this app could be a useful solution to such a problem.

11. Photaf Panorama

This application enables easy arranging of panorama-style shots. While Android 4.0 is likely to provide this function itself, anyone who requires panorama creation without the new operating system will want to use this easily controlled app.

12. BeFunky Photo Editor

BeFunky is one of the most popular online photo editing programs, and now it’s available on Android, too. You can use the app to edit photos, apply different effects or add frames from the big collection it offers.

13. PicsArt – Photo Studio

PicsArt is one of the best and most complete photo editing apps that can be found on Google Play for free. You can use it not only for editing pics and applying effects to them, but also for drawing and sharing the works and the edited pics via Facebook, Flickr, Tumblr and a number of other social networking sites. It also adds new features to your smartphone’s camera and gives you the opportunity to take photos with effects the standard features don’t include.

14. Photo Enhance

Photo Enhance is another good photo editor to easily adjust brightness, contrast, balance and colors of your photos and make them look more detailed, as if they were taken with a very cool camera.

15. Dash of Color

Many users look for apps that turn usual pics into black-and-white ones. But if you’re looking for just the opposite, Dash of Color will help you add colors to any kind of black-and-white photo. You can also use this app to convert any image to a black-and-white one and then add some selective colors of your own choosing.

16. Fontroid

Most designers have to deal with fonts, and Fontroid is an app that can be useful in that arena. It enables you to draw and create your own fonts, upload them and share with your friends/colleagues. The best fonts become available for download from the official website in TrueType format.

17. Photo Grid

With Photo Grid by RoidApp you can turn your photo galleries into collages and easily add thumbnail photos for them. This is one of the most popular apps on Google Play with a huge number of positive user reviews, so you might find it worth trying.

18. Gallery+

Gallery+ is an application that provides greater flexibility for gallery organization for the images on your phone. Android has been criticized in the past for not enabling this on the operating system supplied gallery, and so Gallery+ has attempted to rectify this in order to make the organization of photos more convenient. Features that brighten up the backgrounds and style of the albums also exist.

19. PicWorld

PicWorld is a highly rated application that enables easy search of images across the Internet, using a variety of filters. Whatever photo you’re searching for on your mobile, PicWorld is likely to produce great results compared to manually searching through an Internet browser search engine.

20. HP e-print

This app, brought to you by the computing giant Hewlett Packard, enables easy printing of documents that are stored on your Android phone. Rather than needing to transfer the file from phone to computer and then to printer, the app enables the user to print straight from the mobile. Saving time and headaches.

That’s a Wrap

So what are your favorite design related and image editing apps for Android, either ones that made the list or those that didn’t? Feel free to leave us your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to hearing your two cents.

(rb)

There are two major things that had to be overcome in writing this spotlight on Massimo and Lella Vingnelli: One was how to approach the subjects in a different way as they’ve had so much written about them. Two, as with writing about other designers who are still living, one runs the risk of being told by them that the article is wrong or even worse, moronic. Admittedly, I’m more concerned about the first as the second is nothing new to my writing career.

As with my other spotlights on designers who greatly influenced or keep on influencing our industry, I’m interested in WHY they took the path that set them apart from other designers and HOW they can change the way designers think and create. It’s about inspiration. Their example is not one of purposeful self-important and self-initiated public relations – I refuse to write about those who practice such conceit to make up for lack of talent. It was pure talent and creativity that brought Vignelli Design into the public eye.

Pure Talent

“Pure,” as defined by the dictionary is:

• Free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes.
• Containing nothing that does not properly belong.
• Being nonobjective and to be appraised on formal and technical qualities only.

“Pure talent?” That’s too abstract a concept. It’s Vignelli’s own words that best explains the success of his work: “We have to make a distinction between design and art. If you are an artist, you can do anything you want. It’s perfectly all right. Design serves a different purpose. If in the process of solving a problem you create a problem, obviously, you did not design.” (From an interview in Print magazine – 1991)

The Vignellis’ office in New York City. Simple, clean and… pure.

Massimo Vignelli at work. There’s something I don’t trust about a designer having an uncluttered desk!

“Whatever we do, if not understood, fails to communicate and is wasted effort. We design things which we think are semantically correct and syntactically consistent but if, at the point of fruition, no one understands the result, or the meaning of all that effort, the entire work is useless. Sometimes it may need some explanation but it is better when not necessary. Any artifact should stand by itself in all its clarity. Otherwise, something really important has been missed.”

Vignelli was also driven by the notion of timelessness. On this he said: “You can reach timelessness if you look for the essence of things and not the appearance. The appearance is transitory — the appearance is fashion, the appearance is trendiness — but the essence is timeless.”

A Little History

Massimo Vignelli and his wife Lella, both designers, ran a successful design firm in Milan, Italy before coming to New York City in 1966 to start the New York branch of a new company, Unimark International. This quickly became one of the largest design firms in the world. When commuting back and forth became too much, they decided to make New York their home. In 1971, they founded Vignelli Associates.

It’s important to look at America at the time they arrived to make their mark on the design scene. The Vietnam War was in full swing and America was changing. It was the hippies vs. the conservative establishment, acid rock vs. bubblegum rock, and society was evolving. The Vignellis’ European sensibilities were to offer design America had not really experienced. Obviously it was successful and became a driving force in design that others would follow.

My First Exposure to Vignelli

Growing up in New York wasn’t easy. The subway map alone was a diagram of the human circulatory system, and as confusing to an adult as it was to me as a child. Foreign tourists and diehard New Yorkers alike all had to brave the death-inviting move of asking someone if they were on the correct train to their destination.

Vignelli’s now-classic New York City subway map was first introduced in 1972, following his work on the signage system in the late 1960s. Inspired by London’s Underground map (designed by Harry Beck in 1933—which was inspired by electrical circuit diagrams) Vignelli simplified New York’s complex, twisting, winding subway system into a clean graphic. “A different color for each line, a dot for every station. No dot, no station. Very simple. The whole map is designed on a 45/90 degrees grid with geographic distortions to accommodate the lines,” recalls Vignelli in his book, “From A to Z.”

It’s alleged that New Yorkers didn’t take to the design because it didn’t give an accurate representation of the distances the trains had to travel, borough to borough. The present map has returned to that pre-Vignelli jumble of veins and arteries; and despite the supposed dislike to Vignelli’s cleaner interpretation of the whole mess, other designers keep trying to reintroduce the same effective graphic that Vignelli had designed. Nothing is better then letting time vindicate your actions and beliefs!

A section of the 1979 subway map that replaced the Vignelli design, returning to the jumble of which Vignelli sought to make sense and order. Once again, people entered subway stations and were never seen again! Note how it includes surface streets, parks and sections of the continental shelf.

The 2011 map, returning to the idea that simple and clear is better. It stuck to the desire for realistic distances but got rid of the extraneous information that had nothing to do with the subway.

He is, however, still passionate about his design. “A diagram is a diagram. Don’t cheat me,” he is quoted as saying during an AIGA/NY event in 2010. Nothing burns the soul of a designer more than seeing a great design thrown away by non-creatives and those without the ability to understand how design affects people and products.

Listen to his thoughts about the map redesign and the problems he had to overcome…

In fact, if you look at the metro maps around the world, you’ll note that they all take inspiration from Vignelli’s design. I can only hope he smiles widely and thumbs his nose at his detractors.

Design Is Everything!

While other works by Vignelli may not be as public, you’ve probably seen and/or even lived with them, not knowing how this design team has affected you. Design is interesting because we use it everyday, in everything. To quote Vignelli from a 2007 article:

“Designers take care of everything around us. Everything that is around us, this table, this chair, this lamp, this pen has been designed. All of these things, everything has been designed by somebody.”

Have you flown anywhere lately? When you step aboard American Airlines, you are surrounded by Vignelli’s work. The 1967 redesign of the AA identity was pure Vignelli – simple, strong, functional and pleasing to the eye.

Do you eat? Could be you are using plates, glasses or mugs designed by Vignelli? The key to the design is usability. Plates, bowls, mugs and platters stack as opposed to the usual piling on as with most dish sets. It’s designed for function as well as form.

I don’t care how big your kitchen may be – these plates, bowls and platters are great design and real space savers!

The calendar designed by Vignelli has been around for longer than I can remember.

Crave any furniture designs lately? If not, you obviously haven’t seen any from the Vignellis. Anyone who appreciates great design will admire and almost certainly crave pieces either created by Vignelli or at least inspired by the duo.

“Here is an example of interaction between one field of design and another,” says Vignelli. “I call this the Bodoni Table, because the Bodoni typeface has big thick vertical strokes and very thin serifs, just as you see in this table.”

“This is a result of continuous cross-pollination between one experience and another. It is not true that if you’re a graphic designer, you can’t design furniture. You can design it, because design is one. The discipline of design is the same.”

Designed by Vignelli in the 1950s, this lamp is timeless. Function and form.

Print vs. Web

Naturally, like so many who have been in design for a time, Vignelli has an affinity for print. In a web culture, print, according to some, is a lost art and disappearing from our lives. Vignelli, among others, point to the permanence of print (as the couple’s personal library, pictured below, attests).

“We strongly believe in the permanence of the printed word as a witness to the culture of our time. Words and images interact to create feelings, to expand our perception, to enrich our knowledge.”

Of course, such passion for design understands web design and Vignelli has some advice that rings true…

Obviously, Massimo and Lella Vignelli look at all design challenges with the same dedication, and approach problem solving in the same logical way.

“Good design is a matter of discipline. It starts by looking at the problem and collecting all the available information about it. If you understand the problem, you have the solution. It’s really more about logic than imagination.” —New York Magazine Interview, 2007

A proposed redesign for The European Journal in 1978. Note how modern WordPress themes are similar in layout.

Another thought Mr. Vignelli has on print vs. web design is simple, yet all too true: “The computer is like a pencil. It is just a tool. The pencil is a submissive tool. Leave it there and the pencil is totally dead. It doesn’t offer anything; you have to guide it. But the computer is a seductive tool. It offers you incredible options, but your work can become a total disaster if you don’t have an idea to begin with.”

Lessons To Be Learned?

Like other designers who have practiced for decades, Massimo and Lella Vignelli offer lessons to all of us that we may not see right away. Let down your guard and preconceived notions on what is important in design and consider what the Vignellis have to teach us. The “WOW! Factor” we depend upon with computer programs and apps are no substitute for design basics. The basics are the foundation of all design.

I cheated the history of Vignelli Associates a bit for breavity at the beginning of this article. In an interview in Observatory, Mr. Vignelli relates the full story:

“We started the company with some friends here in the U.S., and we opened an office in New York. The person who was supposed to run the office got sick. I was in Milan at the time and I was commuting back and forth. I got tired of flying over twice a month, and so we decided to come over and run the office for a while and then go back. We’re still here after 40 years.”

This is a lesson in overcoming fear. Imagine moving to a new city, in a new country. What raw nerve that takes. I have several friends who moved from the U.S. to different countries in Europe and they were terrified. Excited but terrified.

The Vignellis accepted a challenge and met it head on with purpose, bravery and ended with great success. Should any simple design challenge frighten you? Not if you follow the design basics and build from there.

Massimo Vignelli with an uncut sheet of brochures, “Five Vignelli-isms” when he and Lella received The Architectural League President’s Medal “in recognition of a body of work so influential in its breadth that it has shaped the very way we see the world.” Note the advice in the Vignelli-isms!

Another admirable lesson is one that doesn’t come easy to most designers who do not wield the power Vignelli has. “I never work with middle management.” Says Vignelli. “Middle managers are dominated by fear of losing their job, and therefore they have no sense of risk. I always work with the top person, the president or the owner of a company. That’s it. Only the person at the top can take risk. He’s used to it. That is how he got to the position he is in. He understands what you are doing, and he doesn’t have to report to anybody. He makes his decision, and that’s the way it goes.”

How does one hope for the same power when starting out? The answer is you can’t, but you can try to seek out clients where you CAN work directly with the company owner as much as possible. You may be stuck with someone who says, “I’ll know what I like when I see it” but you may also find yourself working with someone who will trust your design ideas and give you free reign.

Mr. Vignelli, as all of the interviews with him seem to attest, worships purity in design (there’s that word again).  His focus is purposeful and without distraction of the thoughts too many designers have of how their design will be viewed by others. He knows his design is the best he can do and it leaves no doubts or regrets.

Sure with his career experience and decades of practice, he has nothing to doubt, but there’s a lesson for every designer no matter what level you’re at – focus on the design and not what peers will think. Please the client and yourself and in the end, your design will have the purity that will make it last.

So many designers yearn for recognition. They dream of being invited to the Oscars with all cameras turned to them while reporters announce that they have arrived and the crowd screams with admiration. Dream on, because it happens only to a small few. Those who have affected people’s everyday lives. Even then, they elicit recognition from the layperson of “oh, yes. He/she did that? I love his/her work.”

To reiterate a quote of mine that people tweeted all over the place, “people don’t remember the name of the designer – they remember the design and how it affected their life.” THAT is the purpose of design! Massimo and Lella Vignelli have done that and have been recognized through a real and deserved placement in design history. It is worth considering how they got there and what you can learn from their example.

(rb)

At the end of 2011 Chrome surpassed Firefox as the second most popular browser in the world. One of the reasons it has grown in popularity could be because of its expansive Chrome Web Store. The store has thousands of applications that help extend the functionality of Chrome and make your browsing experience safer, quicker and more fun.

In today’s article we would like to share with you 30 fantastic Chrome extensions. We have purposely not included extensions that simply link to an online service and instead listed those that make Chrome more useful.

Productivity

1. Offline Google Mail

An official extension from Google that lets you use Gmail offline. Emails can be read, responded to, searched and archived when offline and when a connection is available again everything will be synced. A great app if you use Gmail and find yourself without a connection frequently.

2. Send from Gmail

Another great app for Gmail users is ‘Send from Gmail’. Once installed, anytime you click on an email link when browsing the web, a Gmail message will be created rather than a default application such as Windows Live Mail.

3. Google Chrome to Phone

Once you have installed the Google Chrome to Phone extension and Android app, you can send information directly from your computer to your Android phone. This allows you to send links to your phone so that the same page is opened on your phone. You can automatically launch apps like Google Maps directly by using the extension. A great application for Android users.

4. ScratchPad

A really basic note taking application that supports basic style editing like bold, italic and bullet points. The notes load outside of Chrome so you can minimise the notes when you aren’t using it. By far it’s most useful feature is the option to sync your notes to your Google Docs account. A great app for anyone who just wants a simple way of taking notes online.

Web Development

5. PageSpeed Insights

PageSpeed Insights is a Chrome and Firefox extension that allows you to perform a test on any page on the web and measure the performance of that page. Pages are given a rank out of 100 and suggestions are given as to how the speed of the page can be improved such as not using @import for CSS styling and combining images into CSS sprites.

6. Web Developer

The official port of the Web Developer extension for Firefox adds a toolbar that developers will find useful. 8 different tools are available: CSS, forms, images, information, miscellaneous, outline, resize and more. And what’s more is that each tool offers a range of different options.

7. IE Tab

A great way of checking how a web page looks on Internet Explorer directly from Google Chrome. You can view a page in IE7, IE8 or IE9 mode and use auto URLs in order to make a whole website viewable in Internet Explorer. It’s an essential app for anyone who designs websites of themes.

8. ScribeFire

The popular blog editor ScribeFire allows you to write articles and post them to blog platforms such as WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, Windows Live Spaces, Tumblr, Posterous, Xanga and LiveJournal. Existing posts can be deleted, edited, updated and scheduled for publication in the future. Those of you who don’t like the editor for your blogging platform should check it out.

9. Awesome Screenshot

If you take screenshots a lot, you’ll love Awesome Screenshot. It lets you take screenshots of an entire page or selected areas. You can customise which areas are copied using a range of cropping tools. Screenshots can be copied to your clipboard, saved as a file or saved online using Diigo.com.

Tabs, Sessions & Browsing

10. RSS Subscription Extension

Once the RSS Subscription Extension has been installed, Chrome will automatically detect any feeds that are linked on a page. Google Reader, iGoogle, Bloglines and My Yahoo are built into the app, though other RSS services can be added manually. To add a feed to your newsreader you simply click on the RSS icon that appears on pages with RSS feeds on it and then select your chosen newsreader.

11. Read Later Fast Tab Plus

Recently renamed from ‘Read Later Fast’ to ‘Read Later Fast Tab Plus’ by its developer Diigo, Read Later Fast lets you save any web page you find interesting and read it later offline. You can save an infinite number of pages using your Diigo account. It’s a useful plugin for those that travel a lot and find themselves without a connection (i.e. when flying).

12. Xmarks Bookmark Sync

Sync bookmarks, passwords and tabs across different computers and different browsers (it also works with Firefox and Safari). One of the best ways of keeping your online experience consistent across all of your devices regardless of what browser you are using.

13. Incredible StartPage

Replace your boring Chrome default page with the Incredible StartPage. The app replaces your start page with a stylish board that shows all your bookmarks, apps and closed tabs. There’s also a handy note taking feature and links to Gmail and Google Calendar.

14. Chrome Toolbox

A useful extension that places all of the most commonly used chrome options in one drop down menu. Features include saving and restoring form data, a shortcut link to launch predefined URLs and the ability to set any image as your wallpaper.

15. TabCloud

Save any session and restore your tabs at a later date or even on another computer. The app is perfect for those of you who switch frequently between a desktop computer and a laptop.

16. Personal Blocklist

Personal Blocklist allows you to customise your search results and block results from certain domains and hosts. Worth installing if you get frustrated by the results that Google is producing.

Security

17. Ghostery

See exactly what a website is tracking with Ghostery. It shows trackers, web bugs, pixels and other hidden scripts. It can also be used to block images and embedded objects from websites you don’t trust.

18. View Thru

Link cloaking has been used for years by affiliate marketers to make ugly looking affiliate URLs look cleaner. The rise of Twitter and other social media services has increased the use of URL shortneners too. Once View Thru has been installed you can quickly see the real URL of any cloaked URL.

19. Hide My Ass!

Hide My Ass! is one of the most popular proxy’s on the web. The Chrome extension adds an icon to your browser that lets you instantly browse anonymously using one of 20 web proxy domain names.

20. Web of Trust

Available for all major browsers, Web of Trust helps you surf the web more safely by allowing user to rate websites for trustworthiness, vendor reliability, privacy and child safety. It’s popular with online shoppers though it offers ratings for all types of websites.

Research & Analysis

21. Daily Stats for Google Analytics

Adds an icon to your browser than shows you a quick analysis of your website traffic. It isn’t a replacement for Google Analytics itself though is a great way to quickly check your stats such as visits, page views, bounce rate and average time on site.

22. Google Publisher Toolbar

An essential extension for anyone who makes money through Google Adsense. The extension has two main features. Firstly, it lets you easily glance at your stats quickly without logging into your account. Secondly, it places an in site ad overlay over the advertisements on your website that shows exactly how much each zone is making.

23. PageRank Status

PageRank Status doesn’t just show you the Google PageRank of a web page. It also shows a websites Alexa ranking and geographical location of the server and links to backlinks and indexed pages for Google and Bing.

24. Diigo Bookmark, Archive, Highlight & Sticky-Note

A bookmarking extension that lets you highlight sections of text on a page and add sticky notes. A copy of the web page can also be saved in your library for future reference.

25. Search by Image

Once ‘Search by Image‘ has been installed, you can right click any image on the web and do a search by image on Google and find where that image and similar images are being used on the web.

Social Media

26. Google +1 Button

A handy extension that lets you +1 any web page on the web to your Google+ circles. Simple but effective.

27. Silver Bird

An advanced Twitter extension that is packed full of features. It updates in real time and you can check your time line, direct messages and favourites. Trending topics can be viewed too.

28. Facebook Notifications

Facebook Notifications is a useful app for anyone who uses Facebook to stay in touch with family or friends or connect with followers. It was developed by Facebook themselves however at the moment it lacks the ability to get updates from fan pages you have created.

29. Pinterest Right Click

With Pinterest jumping into the position of 3rd most popular social media website on the web, more and more web developers are looking to the service as a source of traffic. The Pinterest Right Click extension allows you to pin any image or video to your page. It also lets you share on Facebook too.

30. imo instant messenger

A web based instant messaging extension that lets you chat via Skype, Windows Live, Facebook, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, AIM, Jabber, ICQ and MySpace. It allows group chats, lets you send and receive files and video and audio chatting works natively. The application is also available for iPhone, iPad, Nokia, BlackBerry and Android.

It’s difficult to include every useful Google Chrome extension in one article, so we know there are a few favorites we probably missed. If your favourite extension for Chrome didn’t make the list, please feel free to share it in the comment section.

(rb)

With Easter having just passed, we thought we’d look to one of the holiday’s most common motifs, the painted egg! There are many different ways to decorate and make something special from your standard, boring egg. You can use either natural dyes or liquid food colors to make them almost any color you want. Not to mention all of the various artistic materials and ways that you can employ to make your Easter eggs really shine.

Below is a collection of some of the many decorative and imaginative ways that Easter eggs have been transformed into more than family fun and tradition, but into inspirational pieces of art in their own rights. So many fun and fabulous examples await. Enjoy.

The Painted Egg

1. Easter Egg Cozies by Annemarie’s Haakblog

2. Easter Eggs by Klio

3. Easter Eggs 5 by The Felt Mouse

4. Arty Easter Egg by Joana Petrova

5. Quilled paper Easter eggs by Chica and Jo (Also you will find great tutorial how to make quilled paper Easter eggs of your own)

6 Blue Willow Easter Eggs by karly b

7. Little green piggie egg by RCoshow

8. Chicks and bunnies out of Easter eggs by lilfishstudios

9. All Our Eggs (in one basket) by Laura

10. Ukrainian Easter Eggs by HUTSULKA

11.  Easter Eggs by musicpb

12. Paper covered egg decoration by Julie Kirk

13. Decoupage easter eggs by terri gordon

14. Retro Mama’s Easter egg pattern by svankatwijk

15. Plush Eggs by scrumptiousdelight

16. Angry Birds by Amanda Younger

The Big Egg Hunt

Below you will find special examples of decorative Easter eggs from leading artists, celebrities and jewelers that took part in charity event called “The Big Egg Hunt” in London last month.

17.  The Big Egg Hunt – Peace Egg photo by JulesFoto

18. The Big Egg Hunt – Mayoral egg photo by JulesFoto

19. The Big Egg Hunt – Sad Happy Frog Egg photo by Ms_Bump (Artist listed as Gary Card).

20. The Big Egg Hunt – Egg letter box photo by JulesFoto

21. The Big Egg Hunt – Phoenix photo by snaphappysal (Artist listed as Nilesh Mistry)

22. The Big Egg Hunt – My Baku photo by JulesFoto

23. The Big Egg Hunt – Gregg photo by JulesFoto

24. The Big Egg Hunt – When I grow up photo by JulesFoto

25. The Big Egg Hunt – Rebirth photo by JulesFoto

26. The Big Egg Hunt – Robi & Walt photo by JulesFoto

27. The Big Egg Hunt – Dinosaurs photo by JulesFoto

28. The Big Egg Hunt – Gotthegg photo by JulesFoto

29. The Big Egg Hunt – The Big Bang photo by irishtravel

30. The Big Egg Hunt – Eggstatic Eggstasy photo by JulesFoto

31. The Big Egg Hunt – Seasonal Egg photo by craftinessa

32. The Big Egg Hunt – Blackberry moon photo by bowhanger 

33. The Big Egg Hunt – Phoenix egg photo by JulesFoto

34. The Big Egg Hunt – Prep egg photo by JulesFoto

(rb)

TV show logos have become an art. They create recognizable brands that become an important part of a show’s off-air life and legacy. The eclipsing O of “Heroes”, the periodic elements of “Breaking Bad”, the film-negative “X-files”, these title pieces have become instantly recognizable, and help make their shows familiar across many mediums.

What makes these logos so unforgettable and remarkable? The answer is tied up in the shows themselves. The most memorable TV show logos are those which are both beautiful and evocative, using design to tell us something about the show we’re about to see. They use typography and color to set the scene, and imagery to make themselves memorable.

Some of the TV show logos in this showcase use classic fonts and simple black and white color schemes (Lost), others create their own characteristic typography in bold, striking colors (Monty Python). Some use photographic flairs that draw out key themes of the show (Glee), while others are part of graphics that tell a story (Batman). All give us a clue about the show itself, evincing theme, feel, and story. All demonstrate some of the best of logo design.

See how these 30 TV show logos use design, typography, and imagery to capture the feel of their shows.

Television Typography

Modern Family

The “Modern Family” logo differentiates nicely between its two parts, with a clean, black sans serif imparting modernity, and a serif font in a warm color welcoming you into the family.

Dexter

“Dexter” looks put together and normal at the outset, but the more you get to know him, and the further into the logo you read, the more bloodstained and splattered he becomes.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus

Monty Python’s comedy sketch series on the BBC often features Terry Gilliam’s cutout animations. The foot in the logo is appropriated from Agnolo Bronzino’s painting “Venus, Cupid, Folly, and Time”. The surreal, Dadaist nature of these cutouts are perfect for the show’s frequent dalliances into something completely different.

That 70’s Show

The “That 70′s Show” logo uses bright colors and bold, clean lines to hearken back to 1970′s design aesthetics. The font was selected specifically to make us feel like we’re looking into the past; too far, in fact. It’s Arnold Böcklin, the most well-known Art Nouveau typeface, designed in 1904.

The Sopranos

“The Sopranos” logo is killer. Literally. The gun detail and striking blood red color in most of the promotional designs tell you right off the bat that the show is going to be violent, though the clean lines and simple font softens the impact. The font, called Mobster, is available from Sharkshock.

Batman

This wonderful cloaked logo is a re-purposing of the already recognizable Bat Signal, which first appeared in the DC Comics in 1942. Best of all, the font gives each letter bat ear serifs.

Glee

Glee’s clever “L” reflects the show’s preoccupation with losers, and the jocks that torment them. It might even bring back uncomfortable memories of your own high school days.

Jersey Shore

The “Jersey Shore” logo looks stamped on, like a badly inked tattoo or bar room floor. It’s trashy and dirty, yet still interesting enough to make you keep looking.

Lost

The huge “Lost” logo is a perfect use of the typeface Impact. It hovers at a stark angle, fading in and out of focus, leaving us with a sense of unease, and lots of questions.

The X-Files

The “X-Files” logo encourages you to look past the surface. The sharp sans serif counter balances the stark, glowing x-ray X, Mulder’s wild belief balanced by Scully’s scientific reason.

24

Let the count-up begin. The digital-clock font gives us a sense of urgency and impending action in the “24″ logo. A note for all you kerning purists: you’ll notice during the show that the spacing on the clock given to the number 1 is too narrow for a full number (like 0), so the clock never transfers from 1 to 2, or from 0 to 1.

Castle

The “Castle” logo economically captures both of the show’s main themes, writing and crime, in less than half an A. It combines elements of an urban landscape with the written word, and gradually sheds light on the city as the logo progresses.

Parenthood

The “Parenthood” logo subtly tucks the tails of its A, R and T behind other letters, like children hiding behind their mother’s leg.

Soul Train

The “Soul Train” logo captures the neon colored, psychedelic vibe of the “hippest trip in America”. It also chugs along just like the show, which aired from 1971 to 2006, making it the longest-running nationally syndicated program in television history.

Breaking Bad

All of the title pieces and credits in this chemistry-themed show are elements from the periodic table. Bromine and Barium are featured in the main title, though Barium’s electrons have inexplicably been changed to match Bromine’s, both reading 2-8-18-7. The Barium box is also slightly smaller than Bromine’s. The designer clearly has a vendetta against Barium.

The Gong Show

One of the great classic logos, “The Gong Show” graphic didn’t stray far from the gong, or the bright colors and eye-catching shapes of 70′s design styles.

The Office

The logo for the American version of the BBC hit “The Office” is simple and straightforward, with apt use of the font American Typewriter.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog

“Dr. Horrible’s” Logo is designed in the style of early movie posters, giving you a taste of 1950′s overstated zeal in the ultra modern packaging of a web serial.

Buffy, the Vampire Slayer

The “Buffy” logo is gothic and gritty, just like the show itself, and is sharp enough to stab several vampires.

Scandal

“Scandal”, one of ABC’s newest shows, is about the nitty gritty of the Washington DC rumor mill, and the scandal cover-ups that fuel them. The logo is perfect, a red stamp reminiscent of one that might say “classified” or “top secret”, on an already-shredded insider document.

Wheel of Fortune

The “Wheel of Fortune” logo is bright enough to keep you up watching late night TV, and colorful enough to give you a seizure, just like the show.

Being Human

The smudge of an I in the “Being Human” logo could almost be a hooded person. Or maybe it’s a monster. The ambiguity plays nicely with the show’s cross-breed theme.

The Price is Right

This classic logo uses a pleasantly unbalanced graphic and the 1970′s font Pinto Flare, which has inspired everyone from gameshow designers to gamers. Ray Larabie of RockstarGames created a modification called Pricedown, which is the font famously used in “Grand Theft Auto”s logo.

The Price is Right has versions all over the world, and its logo is often tweaked and changed to fit local aesthetics. In France, for instance, the logo for “Le Juste Prix” is set in a bold sans serif on a lightbulb studded marquis.

Conan

Conan’s instantly recognizable coif makes this logo perfect for a show that is all about him. The ginger-hair colored “Co” is a wink to his self-titled supporters, “team Coco”.

The Muppet Show

“The Muppet Show” logo is whimsical and playful, hearkening to everything from the Looney Toons popping out of a drum, to old Vaudevillian calligraphy. With that wink at Vaudeville, it evokes an attempt at high mindedness that invariably devolves into slapstick comedy, just like the show itself.

Heroes

The “Heroes” logo uses ITC Avante Garde Condensed, an apt font for a show about the advance guard of humanity. The eclipsing sun is a central catalyst in the show.

The Wire

Hailed as perhaps one of the best shows to ever be on television, “The Wire” has a custom-font logo that went through a redesign for the fifth and final season. The image is worth a thousand words: it lets you know this season will focus on the newspaper, which will in turn focus on everything from violence to Baltimore schools.

Mad Men

The “Mad Men” logo has quickly become iconic. The font is somewhere between Trade Gothic Next Condensed and Helvetica, a favorite choice of real Mad men in the 60′s. The silhouette of a reclining Don Draper, holding his ever-present cigarette in one hand (and you can assume a whiskey in the other) is the picture of studied nonchalance, just like Don himself.

Doctor Who

The new “Doctor Who” logo features a visual element from the show itself. The TARDIS is formed from the Doctor’s initials, combined to make the shape of a police box. The “Doctor Who” logo has gone through as many iterations as the show has Doctors. From its inception in 1963, where the words were in a simple sans serif stacked on top of each other, to the “Diamond Logo” of the 1970′s, to the oval-encompassed version of the aughts, it has been updated and changed as often as the show itself.

Northern Exposure

Quirky dramedy “Northern Exposure” is set in small-town Alaska. Its logo has got a rough hewn, wood cut quality that meshes well with the wacky woodsmen, transplanted big city doctor, and native American characters.

Fade Out

Those are some of the most memorable TV show logo designs from popular American and British television series’. Think you know a great one that wasn’t mentioned? Or want to see more? Let us know what you think in the comments!

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There are so many photographers who set out to capture not just emotive imagery in their photographs, but hauntingly so. One way that many choose to bring this haunting element into their work is through their choice of subject. Few natural elements can add this tone to photos as well as fog. Easily one of the most emotive natural elements next to light, foggy photography is often beautifully stirring.

So for our readers inspirational needs we have tapped the work of some skillful photographers who have dabbled in this area. There are many fine examples of this poignant element included in this showcase of foggy photography, and we hope that you enjoy them as much as did collecting them for you.

Through the Mist

fog pool by PageNotFound

Thick fog by dSavin

Somewhere by dragon-fly-to-me

Empire State Building fog by mirojisme

Gouden Regen by Nelleke

Screech and Scratch by Nelleke

fog by TorySevas

Fog by Ragnarion

Fog by Meteorolog

The Fog (Portrait) by nokel

Sea Fog by Florenaut

Mystic Fog by firebutterfly-narya

as the fog rolls in by 12line01

Coco Mist by Hengki24

Domes by dSavin

Into Mourning by Huldr

Ba Na mountain in fog by dratwister

I Hate Sesquipedalianism by Fuzzypiggy

Foggy Morning by la-rosso-luna

Fog by Wagonwheel101

Cinematic Fog by Bob Vanderau

Fog Clearing from Downtown Towers by Gary J. Wood

Fog rolls in by bradhoc

Early morning fog by gerrybuckel

Creeping Fog by Joselito Tagarao

Tree – Fog & Snow by Larry Lamsa

171729 Heads in to the Fog by Joshua Brown

Sears Tower in fog by Chris Yasick

2012_03_150004 Fog by Gwydion M. Williams

Watchers by Laura Bernhardt

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Words are a really powerful tool to express what you think, but an even more powerful weapon to visualize your main thoughts and concept are graphics. To be more specific a rich combination of beautiful typographical signs, letters and symbols. By using different fonts, sizes and styles it’s possible to create stunning typographical infographics. All you need is an awesome idea and some prior knowledge on the topic to visualize your thoughts and present them to your audience.

Typographical infographics are much more than simple pictures with captivating statistics. These creations enhance the world of creativity and artistry through their precision and succinctness. With the help of elegant design and familiar associations, they turn complex graphics into easily digestible messages. Just don’t be afraid of experimenting with letters and stunning design approaches. Choose the composition and layout that reflects your theme best and let your imagination fly.

We’ve collected an amazing set of infographics made entirely of type. Have a look at the collection below and see for yourselves how the play of letters and words can be effective and compelling.

Typographical Infographics

Panda Infographic by Lish-55

Factoid City by heyjoshboston

Our Streets. Our City by Brian Gossett

Infographic of Africa by ericajloh

Homicide infographic by MrDinkleman

Top 100 fonts of all time by Skele kitty

Got a Light by DesertViper

On words by slimbos

Jobs Visionary by 802.11

Advertising by Bradley R. Hughes

Government by Jonathan Harris

Typography concept by whatshername13

Helvetica font weights by Tommy Swanson

Typeface by MiaPi

Rockmap beta 1.4 by Ernesto Lago

Getting around by uncoated

Insomnia by canadadrugcenter

Political climate by Albertson design

Healthcare Infographic by Veronica Dominique

Typography infographic by Peter Grundy

Advice for designers by Gareth Parry

Death probabilities by Julia Hoffmann

Beer map by Michael Wentz

Hot typographical infographic by Christian Ross

Network by Dennis Crowley

Data Table Exercise by Inan Olcer

Evolution by Renee Alvarado

Flight Delays by Carl DeTorres

Speaking my language by rhealpoirier

Facebook infographic by Doogie Horner

History of the elements by B0nzo

Infographic on infographics by zabisco

In the following Adobe Illustrator tutorial you will learn how to create your very own simple vector map illustration. First, we’ll build the starting shapes using pixel perfect alignment, some basic vector shape building techniques along with a bunch of warp effects. Then we will put on the finishing touches. We will add the colors along with some simple effects and highlights to give it that final bit of character.

Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:

Step 1

Hit Control + N to create a new document. Enter 7000 in the width box and 500 in the height box then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the "Align New Objects to Pixel Grid" box is unchecked before your click OK. Now, turn on the Grid (View > Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid).

Next, you’ll need a grid every 10px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, enter 10 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subpisions box. You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. All of these options will significantly increase your work speed.

Step 2

Pick the Rectangle Tool(M) and create eight, 120 by 110px shapes. Place them as shown in the following image and fill them with the two colors shown below.

Step 3

Pick the Direct Selection Tool(A), select the anchor points highlighted in the first image and drag them 10px down. The Snap to Grid should ease your work.

Step 4

Now we will help the map sections take shape. Take the first column of blue shapes. Select the top shape and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Upper. Enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Again, enter the data shown, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Once again, enter the data shown below and click OK.

Move on to the bottom shape and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Enter the data shown in the following image, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Again, enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Once again, enter the data shown below and click OK.

Step 5

Focus on the fourth column of shapes. Select the top shape and like before, go to Effect > Warp > Arc Upper. Enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Again, enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Once again, use the data provided below and click OK. Move to bottom shape and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Enter the data shown, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Again, enter the data and click OK.

Step 6

Now move on to the second column of shapes. Select the top shape and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Upper. Use the data provided, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Again, enter the data shown below and click OK. Move to the bottom shape and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Again, enter the data shown and click OK.

Step 7

Select the third column of shapes. Take the top shape and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Upper. Enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Again, enter the data shown below and click OK. Now move on to the bottom shape and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Enter the data provided, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Again, enter the data given and click OK.

Now that we have the basics of the folds created we shall move on.

Step 8

Select all the shapes created so far and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Select the resulting shapes and duplicate them (Control + C > Control + F). Select these copies, open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) and click on the Unite button. Most likely your resulting shape has a few gaps.

Step 9

Now we need get rid of these gaps. Pick the Pen Tool(P) and draw a simple shape around those gaps. Select this new shape along with the shape created in the previous step and click on the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel. Send the resulting shape to the back (Shift + Control + [ ) and add a 1pt stroke. Align it to the outside and set its color at R=117 G=174 B=136. Move to the Layers panel, double click on this new shape and name it "Map".

Step 10

Focus on the eight, blue shapes. Select the top, left shape, make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F) and bring it to the front (Shift + Control + ] ). Select this copy along with the bottom, right blue shape and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 11

Keep focusing on the eight, blue shapes. Select the top, right shape, make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F) and bring it to front (Shift + Control + ] ). Select this copy along with the bottom, right blue shape and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 12

Move over to the Layers panel, select "Map" and go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Enter a 5px offset and click OK. Fill the resulting shape with the linear gradient shown in the second image and set the stroke color at R=215 G=215 B=215. The white numbers from the gradient image stand for location percentage.

Step 13

Disable Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid) then go to Edit > Preferences > General and make sure that the Keyboard Increment is set at 1px. Select the shape created in the previous step and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and hit the up arrow once (to move it 1px up). Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=190 G=190 B=190 and remove the color from the stroke.

Step 14

Reselect the shape created in the twelfth step and open the Appearance panel. Add a second fill for this shape using the Add new Fill button. It’s the little, white square icon from the bottom of the Appearance panel. Select this new fill, make it black, lower its opacity to 3%, change the blending mode to Multiply and go to Effect > Artistic > Film Grain. Enter the data shown below and click OK.

Step 15

Reselect "Map", make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F) and send it to the back (Shift + Control + [ ). Fill this copy with black, move it 10px down. Lower its opacity to 10% and go to Effect > Warp > Arc. Enter the data shown in the final image, click OK and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 3px radius and click OK.

Step 16

Select the top, blue shape from the second column and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px down and 2px to the right. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with white, lower its opacity to 10% and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 17

Select the bottom, blue shape from the second column and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px up and 2px to the right. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with white, lower its opacity to 10% and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 18

Select the top, blue shape from the fourth column and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px down and 2px to the right. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with white, lower its opacity to 10% and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 19

Select the bottom, blue shape from the fourth column and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px up and 2px to the right. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with white, lower its opacity to 10% and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 20

Select the bottom, blue shape from the first column and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 10px down and to the left. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with white. Switch to the Delete Anchor Points Tool(-), make sure that your white shape is still selected and click on the two anchor points highlighted in the third image. In the end your shape should look like is shown in the fourth image.

Step 21

Reselect the shape created in the previous step, lower its opacity to 8% and fill it with the linear gradient shown below. Remember that the white number from the gradient stands for location percentage while the yellow zero stands for opacity percentage.

Step 22

Repeat the techniques mentioned in the last two steps and create the three shapes shown in the following images.

Step 23

Select the bottom, blue shape from the second column and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 15px up. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with the linear gradient shown in the third image and lower its opacity to 15%. Repeat this technique for the bottom, blue shape from the fourth column.

Step 24

Select the top, blue shape from the first column and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Lower its opacity to 20% and fill it with the linear gradient shown below.

Step 25

Select the bottom, blue shape from the first column and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Fill it with the linear gradient shown in the second image and move over to the Appearance panel. Select the existing fill and lower its opacity to 20%. Add a second fill for this shape, select it from the Appearance panel, lower its opacity to 50% and use the linear gradient shown in the third image.

Step 26

Select the bottom, blue shape from the second column and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Fill it with the linear gradient shown in the second image and move to the Appearance panel. Select the existing fill and lower its opacity to 20%. Add a second fill for this shape, select it from the Appearance panel, lower its opacity to 40% and use the linear gradient shown in the third image.

Step 27

Select the top, blue shape from the second column and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Now, you need to copy the properties added for the shape created in the previous step to this copy. Here is how you can easily do it. Go to the Layers panel, focus on the right side and you'll notice that every shape comes with a little grey circle. It's called a target icon. Hold Alt, click on the circle that stands for the shape created in the previous step and drag onto the circle that stands for the copy created in the beginning of this step.

Step 28

Select the top, blue shape from the third column and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Fill it with the linear gradient shown in the second image and move to the Appearance panel. Select the existing fill and lower its opacity to 25%. Add a second fill for this shape, select it from the Appearance panel, lower its opacity to 20% and use the linear gradient shown in the third image.

Step 29

Select the bottom, blue shape from the third column and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Again, copy the properties from the shape created in the previous step to this fresh copy.

Step 30

Select the bottom, blue shape from the fourth column and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Fill it with the linear gradient shown in the second image and move over to the Appearance panel. Select the existing fill and lower its opacity to 40%. Add a second fill for this shape, select it from the Appearance panel, lower its opacity to 50% and use the linear gradient shown in the third image.

Step 31

Select the top, blue shape from the fourth column and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Lower its opacity to 40% and fill it with the linear gradient shown below.

Step 32

Select all the shapes created in the last sixteen steps and group them (Control + G).

Step 33

For the map you need to start with this simple image . Save it to your hard drive and drag it inside your Ai file. Select it and open the Transform panel (Window > Transform). Check the "Constrain Width and Height" button then enter 500 in the Width box. Select this resized shape.

First, go to Object > Live Trace > Make then go to Object > Live Trace > Tracing Options. Enter the data shown below, make sure that you check the "Ignore White" box, click on the Trance button then go to Object > Live Trace > Expand. Select the resulting group of shapes and go to Object > Compound Path > Make.

Step 34

Select the compound path created in the previous step and place it as shown in the first image. Reselect the "Map" shape, make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F) and bring it to front (Shift + Control + ] ). Select this new copy along with the compound path and go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Top Object. In the end your compound path should look like it’s shown in the fourth image.

Step 35

Reselect the compound path, move to the Transform panel and enter 350 in the Width box. Make sure that your compound path is still selected, change its blending mode to Soft Light then drag it below the group created in step #32 (in the Layers panel).

Step 36

Reselect the "Map", make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F) and bring it to front (Shift + Control + ] ). Fill it with white, change its blending mode to Multiply and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Enter the data shown below and click OK.

Step 37

Finally, let’s add a nice background. Pick the Rectangle Tool(M), create a shape the size of your artboard, fill it with R=240 G=240 B=240 and send it to the back (Shift + Control + [ ). Add a second fill for this shape and use the radial gradient shown below.

Step 38

For this final step you will need a built-in pattern. Open the fly-out menu of the Swatches panel (Window > Swatches) and go to Open Swatch Library > Patterns > Basic Graphics > Basic Graphics_Textures. A new window with a bunch of patterns should open. Look for the "Diamond" pattern. Reselect the shape created in the previous step and add a new fill. Select it from the Appearance panel, lower its opacity to 15%, change the blending mode to Color Burn, add the "Diamond" pattern and go to Effect > Artistic > Film Grain. Enter the data shown below, click OK.

And We’re Done!

Once more here is a look at what your final result should resemble. We hope that you all enjoyed this all new Adobe Illustrator tutorial and that it was easy to follow along with. Feel free to leave us your thoughts, critiques, or questions in the comment section below.

(rb)

When most people think of surrealism, they merely think of the bizarre. They think of artwork that somewhat blends the real with the abstract. They do not take into account the movement which sought to unleash the full creative potential of the unconscious mind. This injects a much deeper meaning in to the pieces than what most would think from work often seen as so abstract.

While the use of strange, and even at times ridiculous imagery, is employed to counter the more mundane elements of the pieces, it all comes together in such moving and powerful ways. Below is a gallery of surrealistic digital art that will fill our readers with inspiration. So many talented artists have wonderfully tapped into their creative potential, we hope that they will help you to unleash yours.

From the Unconscious Mind

Face of Happiness by Allyzia

the tree of life 2 by sopic84

Envy Tends Her Garden by joeyv7

Light by Sarafinconcepts

I’m Coming to the Garden by sweatshirt

Witness by MyAmbeon

Scream by liiga

Binds by rhinoting

Death Butterfly’s Forgiveness by ser1o

Beautiful by Warnerator

Dreams and quiet noises by froggywoggy11

su pianito despierta monstrous by alejandrosordi

Stargazer by leothefox

The Infinity of Mind by Elzux

Rita by Daywish

‘Howdy!’ Experiment One by baconworm

My Mind by NegativeFeedback

trip by DeevArt

A form of sanity by IMentertainment

La realidad puede ser otra by needtobleed

Death March by vaporeon249

Mona by Warnerator

Drifter by whitlam1

Tigars are here by YukoRabbit

Seeing through The Layers by vshen

Mutation by SaccharineStrychnine

Metalpecker by StickFreeks

Young Dream by seafoam-mermaid

still waiting by sopic84

Mira by GalileeMorningstar

Forbidden Love by SzkulDigitals

Golden fishes by whitecrow-soul

StiltedWindbag

baloons 3 by sopic84

we’re watching you by GoGalGoGo

Let’s play by mark-in-the-park

Fluffy by gagatka27

A Strange Place by mysticmorning

Unwritten by Jacquesmarcotte

Elder Dream by seafoam-mermaid

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Finding high quality wallpapers for the dual screen monitor setups is not always the easiest of tasks. Wallpapers are a stylish and simple way to brighten your desktop and decorate them with some colorful and vivid images. In this round up, we are presenting a fresh collection of dual screen wallpapers so that you can choose one that fits your tastes and style.

The wallpapers we have gathered for our readers have been carefully selected so that you do not have to waste a lot of your time sorting through all of the rabble. So, don’t miss this opportunity to liven up your dual screens. Head down through this showcase and load up on as many of these fresh wallpapers as call your name!

Decorate Your Desktop

Macro Flower Grass wallpaper
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Fireflies
Download Wallpaper: 3840×1080

Trinity
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1440

Pirate Ship
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1024

Up wallpaper
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Ambiguitas
Download Wallpaper: 3840×1200

Unknown Season
Download Wallpaper: 2560 x 1024 3200 x 1200

Goose Bumps 10th Anniversary Edition
Download Wallpaper: 3200×1080

Rock in the Surf
Download Wallpaper: 2880×1800 2560×1600

Milla Jovovich & Ali Larter
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1024

SutterButtes
Download Wallpaper: 2560 x 1024

Golden Lizard
Download Wallpaper: 8399×2363

Abstract Orange
Download Wallpaper: 2880×1800 2560×1600

Stormy
Download Wallpaper: 3840×1200

Madrid Airport
Download Wallpaper: 2560 x 1024

Arcades at the Doge’s Palace
Download Wallpaper: 7886×2218

‘s-Hertogenbosch
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600 2880×1800

Sunset over Old Stones
Download Wallpaper: 7777×2175

Cafe del Mar
Download Wallpaper: 2560 x 1024

Yellow Flower
Download Wallpaper: 7675×2159

A Grenadian Village
Download Wallpaper: 2880×1800 2560×1600

Pink Flowers
Download Wallpaper: 8395×2362

Pattern Design
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

City Wall at Dusk
Download Wallpaper: 12995×3655

Blue Hour
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600 2880×1800

The Hulk
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1024

Take Flight
Download Wallpaper: 2880×1800 2560×1440

Dark Night
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600 2880×1800

Landscape Plants
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Chapel Facade
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600 2880×1800

Influx
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600 2880×1800

Buddha’s Fingers
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600 2880×1800

Magic The Gathering
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Baby 7 wallpaper
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Dual Screen Wallpaper
Download Wallpaper: 3200×1200

Landscape Plants
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Mountain Wallpaper
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1024

Sea of Dreams
Download Wallpaper: 3840×1200

Butterfly
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Baboon
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Dual Screen Wallpaper
Download Wallpaper: 3200×1200

Pattern Design
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Nature Wallpaper
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1024

Natural Scenery
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Elephant in the Sunset
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Urban Landscape
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Urban Landscape
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Urban Landscape
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Urban Landscape
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

Urban Landscape
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City Of Heroes
Download Wallpaper: 3200×1200

Eating Thorn Bushes
Download Wallpaper: 2560×1600

(rb)